On Wednesday, January 15, 2020, CSSPO collaborated with USU’s office of international affairs and invited lecturers and students from the University of Maryland to USU. The visiting team included Prof. Tom Hilde and 15 students from master’s and doctoral programs with a background in environmental policy and development. The purpose of this visit was to discuss issues related to the environment and development, including the impact of the palm oil industry development on the economy, environment, and livelihoods of smallholders and local communities. On this occasion, the CSSPO coordinator, Dr. Diana Chalil, gave an overview of the palm oil industry in Indonesia, specifically in North Sumatra. The overview begins with a presentation and continues with a question and answer session. The participants were enthusiastic about oil palm and environmental issues, as indicated by the many participants who asked questions.
