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This document summarises the systematisation of the project “Sustainable Biofuel Value Chain Development in an Existing African Oil Palm Plantation”, executed by SNV, WWF and HONDUPALMA, from October 2007 to March 2009, in El Negrito, Yoro, Honduras.

The purpose of the systemisation was to analyse the process followed in the design and implementation of the project and to identify the factors and key elements of: i) best agricultural practices (BAP) in production of African oil palm; ii) cleaner production (CP) in oil extraction and production plant; iii) bio-gas recovery project for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), in order to replicate and enlarge this experience at national and regional levels so as to share the lessons learnt throughout the process.

• The first section presents a summary of the methodological process followed to carry out the systematisation of the project;
• The second section makes reference to the context in which it was developed;
• The initial vision project (concepts, objectives, expected results, central themes, methodology and participants) is described in the third section;
• The fourth section deals with the formulation, formalisation and execution of the process, focusing on three main subjects: Cleaner Production (CP), Best Agricultural Practices (BAP), and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); and one cross cutting subject: Business Model with a Value Chain Focus;
• Finally, the document includes the lessons learnt from the phases and the main subjects of the project, from which recommendations were derived to improve the implementation of the planned activities and achievements.

Peru possesses a large potential for biofuel production. In that context, the Peruvian government approved the Law for the Promotion of Biofuel Markets and subsequent regulations, with mandatory blending of biodiesel and ethanol. Given the proposed change in the Peruvian energy matrix, SNV together with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) implemented a project to analyse the socioeconomic and environmental risks and benefits caused by the production of biofuels and energy crops in (agricultural areas within) the Peruvian Amazon.

In the environmental impact study, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for biofuel production was conducted. The LCA considered energy efficiency and Green House Gas (GHG) reduction besides other environmental aspects such as soil use and degradation and use of fertiliser and pesticides. The scenarios that proved to have a positive environmental impact in the agricultural stage are cultivation of Oil palm and Jatropha on already deforested lands with scarce vegetation. Production of biodiesel from Oil palm and Jatropha causing large scale deforestation (and therefore significant GHG emissions) was confirmed to be environmentally unsustainable.

These results were discussed with relevant stakeholders and presented at several events at local, national and international level. Hence, the results contribute to policy making and improved practices for a sustainable and inclusive development of the biofuels sector.

Peru possesses a large potential for biofuel production. In that context, the Peruvian government approved the Law for the Promotion of Biofuel Markets and subsequent regulations, with mandatory blending of biodiesel and ethanol. Given the proposed change in the Peruvian energy matrix, SNV together with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) implemented a project to analyse the socioeconomic and environmental risks and benefits caused by the production of biofuels and energy crops in (agricultural areas within) the Peruvian Amazon.

In the environmental impact study, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for biofuel production was conducted. The LCA considered energy efficiency and Green House Gas (GHG) reduction besides other environmental aspects such as soil use and degradation and use of fertiliser and pesticides. The scenarios that proved to have a positive environmental impact in the agricultural stage are cultivation of Oil palm and Jatropha on already deforested lands with scarce vegetation. Production of biodiesel from Oil palm and Jatropha causing large scale deforestation (and therefore significant GHG emissions) was confirmed to be environmentally unsustainable.

These results were discussed with relevant stakeholders and presented at several events at local, national and international level. Hence, the results contribute to policy making and improved practices for a sustainable and inclusive development of the biofuels sector.

Peru possesses a large potential for biofuel production. In that context, the Peruvian government approved the Law for the Promotion of Biofuel Markets and subsequent regulations, with mandatory blending of biodiesel and ethanol. Given the proposed change in the Peruvian energy matrix, SNV together with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) implemented a project to analyse the socioeconomic and environmental risks and benefits caused by the production of biofuels and energy crops in (agricultural areas within) the Peruvian Amazon.

In the environmental impact study, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for biofuel production was conducted. The LCA considered energy efficiency and Green House Gas (GHG) reduction besides other environmental aspects such as soil use and degradation and use of fertiliser and pesticides. The scenarios that proved to have a positive environmental impact in the agricultural stage are cultivation of Oil palm and Jatropha on already deforested lands with scarce vegetation. Production of biodiesel from Oil palm and Jatropha causing large scale deforestation (and therefore significant GHG emissions) was confirmed to be environmentally unsustainable.

These results were discussed with relevant stakeholders and presented at several events at local, national and international level. Hence, the results contribute to policy making and improved practices for a sustainable and inclusive development of the biofuels sector.

Peru possesses a large potential for biofuel production. The Peruvian government approved the Law for the Promotion of Biofuel Markets and subsequent regulations, with mandatory blending of biodiesel and ethanol. Given the proposed change in the Peruvian energy matrix, SNV together with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) implemented a project to analyse the socioeconomic and environmental risks and benefits caused by the production of biofuels and energy crops in (agricultural areas within) the Peruvian Amazon.

In this socioeconomic study, cultivating Oil palm turned out to be the most profitable for small scale producers, according to the analysed scenarios in the local conditions of the Peruvian Amazon. However, its use for biodiesel production is questioned due to its traditional use for food products and possible negative impacts in food security and prices of derived food products. Furthermore, current prices make it more attractive to use Oil palm for alimentation purposes then for biodiesel. The profitability of Jatropha and sugar cane, compared with the analysed food crops in the area (corn and rice; the main traditional crops of potential Jatropha and sugar cane farmers, respectively), is still higher. These might be interesting alternative crops for the corresponding farmers, who at present face a difficult market situation in corn and rice, with reduced productivity and income levels.

Results were discussed with relevant stakeholders and presented at several events at local, national and international level. The results contribute to policy making and improved practices for a sustainable and inclusive development of the biofuels sector.

Desde 1986, en consonancia con políticas gubernamentales, en Honduras se ha promovido el desarrollo del cultivo de la palma de aceite con el objetivo de aportar al crecimiento económico regional, En el departamento de Yoro, el cultivo de la palma de aceite es de 20 000 hectáreas aproximadamente, 70% de las cuales pertenece a pequeños agricultores agrupados en cooperativas o empresas asociativas. En un área geográfica tan extensa, este cultivo está expuesto a plagas y enfermedades, y su sostenibilidad depende del adecuado manejo que se haga de ellas. Por este motivo, SNV y HONDUPALMA, con el apoyo de la Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID), impulsaron un programa de Mejores Prácticas Agrícolas en el cultivo de palma de aceite.

The politics of Cleaner Production (CP) is part of a response to commitments of Honduras on trade and environment. There’s a momentum of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (SERNA), the private sector's active participation and support of international cooperation. The overall objective of this policy is to promote, develop and consolidate the CP in the country, ensuring environmental protection, social welfare, economic growth and business competitiveness, as a sustainable long-term challenge.

In Hondupalma, the voluntary application of this policy meets the objective of promoting corporate environmental management to generate greater efficiency and profitability in the process, increase their competitiveness and reduce environmental impacts. SNV, as an ally of SERNA (public sector) and Hondupalma (private sector) became interested in linking the two actors and to promote and support the implementation of CP policy in the company.

En la zona del litoral Atlántico que colinda con el Arrecife crecen plantaciones de palma africana y operan plantas de procesamiento y extracción de aceite, cuyo funcionamiento representa una amenaza a la sostenibilidad del Arrecife. Así, constituye un reto disminuir los impactos ambientales negativos y, a la vez, aumentar la competitividad de las empresas que responden a los requerimientos del mercado World. Las acciones a emprender son diversas y entre ellas se encuentran la reducción del uso de agroquímicos y contaminantes y la reducción del consumo de aguas subterráneas.Para contribuir al desarrollo de tales acciones, durante el período 2007-2011, SNV apoyó a la empresa Palmas Aceiteras de Honduras (HONDUPALMA) en el diseño e implementación de una estrategia de producción más limpia (P+L) en la planta de procesamiento y extracción de aceite, y en la aplicación de mejores prácticas agrícolas (MPA) en las plantaciones de palma africana que se ubican en la zona de influencia del Arrecife Mesoamericano