Sustainable biofuel production and accelerated crop yields
Ultra Green's management plans for accelerating crop yields emerged out of a project to achieve profitable and sustainable biofuel plantations around the world. Significant commercially-oriented breakthroughs were made that were also environmentally friendly, and harnessed a clever cycle of integrated solutions that maximised energy efficiency.
Oil palm can be readily cultivated in many developing countries and is highly efficient in producing a valued commodity with a variety of uses. Palm oil production can be the basis of a thriving local economy, producing jobs and other benefits for local people.
Global palm oil production and demand are forecast to reach record levels. This steep increase means a significant boost to the economy of local communities supporting its production, and of all other players directly or indirectly involved in the supply chain. The industry supports thousands of people, and women make up nearly half the number of people working on plantations.
There is a general perception that oil palm plantations, owing to the fact they are monocultures, are devoid of life. But there is inherent biodiversity in an oil palm plantation environment, which, once understood can be developed to encourage biodiversity in plantations through conservation and enhancement policies and education programmes. Flora and fauna can then be encouraged on palm oil estates in a sustainable manner.
Ultra Green believes passionately in meeting social responsibilities and setting an unprecedented standard. With its access to ultra high yield oil palm cultivars and a range of innovative green technologies, Ultra Green is uniquely capable of contributing directly to a national social agenda and able to establish its ultra green oil palm plantations on former wasteland. The most obvious and immediate social benefit is creating significant new employment opportunities for large numbers of existing rural inhabitants.
Below are just a few of the sustainable techniques employed. If you are interested in learning more about Ultra Green's accelerated crop production, contact us at info@ultragreengroup.com.
Oil palm and biodiversity
- Monitoring the impact of palm oil production on local communities, forests, wildlife habitat, and endangered species.
- Crop Genetic Diversity: Ensure that company plant breeding programmes include conservation projects for important breeding stocks
- Support and/or participate in industry efforts to conserve crop germplasm
- Abandon oil palm growing in unprofitable areas and convert such areas into wildlife reserves
- Enhance the farm environment for locally important rare or endangered species by providing appropriate habitats and adopting the right cultural practices, including the avoidance of pesticide and damage to beneficial flora and fauna
- Before any extension of a plantation into new areas, carry out a full environmental impact assessment and follow the resultant recommendations
- Extension into areas of primary forest is never acceptable
- Extension into degraded lands and areas previously used for other crops or grassland, where available, is to be preferred over extension into areas such as forests or wetlands – even if partially degraded.
- Maintain riparian reserves along watercourses populated by native species. Plant native trees where they are absent. The size (width) of the reserve should at least equal the width of the watercourse if no national or regional requirements are in place.
Water management
- Irrigation using recycled and treated waste water
- Appropriate irrigation systems
- Monitor quality of water irrigation
- Apply where most cost efficient
- Monitor salinity build up in top soil
- Utilise factory process water
- Handle factory effluents
- Ensure water harvesting does not affect other users
- Construct, maintain and tap from in filed dams and water catchments
- Monitor digested effluent recycling does not enter water courses
- Suitable roof catchment for non potable domestic use and factory cleaning
- Monitor water use between mills for best practice
Benefits from zero burning
Replanting techniques contribute to a cleaner environment, soil organic matter, physical properties and fertility are also enhanced.
- Allows complete return of organic matter to soil - this helps to preserve, restore and improve soil fertility, chemical and physical properties of soil.
- The fallow period is reduced considerably because the new stand is planted simultaneously with felling or shredding operations
- Felling/clearing will not be dependent on weather, delays are avoided.
- In the absence of burning, the cost of land clearing is substantially cheaper.
- Zero burning is non polluting, contributes positively towards minimizing global warming and complies with environmental legislation.