The story of palm oil is also one of migrant labour. When the Dutch first introduced oil palms to south-east Asia, by far the world’s largest producer of palm oil today, they also brought migrants from India and China to cultivate the plantations.
Fast forward 150 years and the region also employs workers from countries including Nepal, Thailand, the Philippines, Burma, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Vietnam. According to Pablo Pacheco, principal scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research, the palm oil industry would not be possible without migrant labour.
But migrant workers in oil palm plantations are highly vulnerable. Research carried out by US-headquartered NGO Verité, for example, highlights the fact that since plantations are among the least monitored worksites due to their remoteness and size, they are key destinations for trafficked, undocumented individuals. This in turn leaves workers vulnerable to being paid below minimum wage, having their passports removed, physical abuse, exposure to toxic pesticides without adequate training and more.
Join the discussion
On Wednesday 17 February 10am GMT a group of experts will join us on this page in the comments section to discuss:
What factors make migrant workers particularly vulnerable to exploitation?
How do women and children fit into the picture?
How can labour practices on palm oil plantations be made more transparent?
How can companies be held to account for labour rights abuses?
How is trafficking being addressed by those in and beyond the palm oil sector?
What else needs to happen to ensure the eradication of human rights abuses on oil palm plantations?
Panel
To be announced shortly.
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