Contribution of palm oil and soybean oil to sustainable development goals

Abstract

Palm oil is the most consumed vegetable oil in the world, followed by soybean oil. The environmental, social, and economic impacts of vegetable oils have always been a matter of much debate despite their importance in food security and use in a wide array of products. Regardless of the criticism, vegetable oils play a central role in global trade, economic stability, food security, employment, and livelihoods of smallholder farmers globally. Recent disruptions in the worldwide supply caused by weather issues, armed conflict, supply chain disruptions, and labour shortages, which resulted in shortages and higher prices of vegetable oils, have reemphasized their importance. This paper attempts to quantify the contribution of the two most consumed vegetable oils to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using 12 selected indicators. These selected indicators cover the three pillars of sustainable development, i.e., economic, environmental, and social. These are namely - Protein supply, saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, land use, GHG emissions, contribution to GDP, jobs creation, productivity, water footprint, use of pesticides, fertilizers and food supply. These indicators are associated with 9 SDG goals. The study aims to analyze the complex web of interactions and effects of two primary vegetable oil crops on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights significant data deficiencies related to their impacts on specific SDGs, notably 13 and 15 (Climate Action & Life on Land), indicating that both the environmental and social consequences of the vegetable oils sector are still inadequately comprehended.