Nature Doesn’t Have To Carry The Burden

Jason Crespo at his hacienda “La Perla”

Agriculture and nature often clash. The images of palm oil’s rainforest destruction are a devastating example. But what happens when agriculture and nature work in unison?

Jason Crespo, an Ecuadorian oil palm farmer shows us that it is possible. For him environmental protection is an integral part of his work: “I want to have a positive impact on the ecosystem. Save the rainforest and protect it as a refuge where animals can live in peace.”

Young, modern and conservationist
Our mission is clear: show that palm oil can also be grown for good. And here is how we do it. We visit farmers and let them tell their story. Jason is a third-generation oil palm grower. He is young, charming and has the charisma to lead any venture. But his passion is nature. To him the protection of forests and animals is self-evident. He was raised with that mentality since childhood: “When my grandparents bought this land, forty years ago, they decided to set aside 40% of the land to protect the rainforest that covers it. I inherited that responsibility.”

Peace for the rainforest
While the morning sun peeks through the leaves of the trees, and the chattering of the parrots above us imperturbably continues, Jason explains how he combines oil palm farming and rainforest protection. He doesn’t touch the rainforest on his land…