>> hello and welcome to global 3000, your weekly check on the global issues that affect us all. today's program -- sustainable palm oil -- we visit a colombian plantation with eco-friendly mass production. one step ahead -- we learn about new concepts for e- mobility in uganda. and organic shrimps -- meet the thai shrimp farmer determined to keep chemicals out of this big business. you might not be aware of it, but your home is full of palm oil. almost half of all supermarket products contain this basic ingredient.

as part of your bread, your margarine or even your shampoo you are likely to consume it every day. demand for palm oil is also driven by its role as a component of bio fuel. most of the world's palm oil is produced in indonesia and malaysia. but in colombia, too, the plantations are a major factor in destroying the rain forest. usually the announcement of a new plantation means the death sentence for the eco system as it was. a project supported by the world wildlife fund for nature shows that this could be different. we visit a plantation in the north of the country where sustainable production is the key to producing better oil and sparing nature. so far this is still the exception, but the people who run the project insist it makes commercial and environmental sense for it to become the rule.

>> getting around the tropical grasslands of the orinoco basin in colombia is anything but easy. but that hasn't stopped biologists and agricultural experts from conservation group wwf carrying out their work here. the region's rich ecosystem is increasingly threatened by commercial farming. the wwf experts are documenting biodiversity in areas that they say must be protected. >> we also want to locate carbon sinks and areas with large carbon stocks. the idea is to gather and combine all this information and to find out which areas should not be used for biofuel plantations. >> an aerial view of the orinoco river basin shows a huge, largely untouched aquatic ecosystem.

it's home to unique plant and animal species. but in recent years, agricultural companies have increasingly been clearing land to make way for huge palm oil plantations -- creating a damaging monoculture. but further north, one colombian palm oil producer has taken a different approach. daabon operates an eco-friendly palm oil plantation near santa maria. the production is only carried out on traditional farming land, no trees are cut and the ground's natural cover is left untouched. >> as you can see here, the difference is that we don't clear the undergrowth. quite the opposite -- we use the natural vegetation to give the ground the chance to store moisture and thus create the conditions for an optimal cultivation of the african palm.

>> the harvest is done by hand. the pickers are experienced and trained to pluck the palm oil nuts which grow at a height of around 11 meters. this traditional method protects the oil palm. the fruits are transported by a buffalo-drawn cart. this is by no means a small plantation -- it's spread over 870 hectares. but everything is produced organically. >> once you've created a perfect environmental balance then it's also more economical because you don't need any cleaning and don't need to buy any insecticides, pesticides or fungicides. that only works by being perfectly in sync with nature. >> that sounds easy, but it's not. the production costs are

significantly higher than those linked to conventional production. however the sustainably produced palm oil does sell for a higher price. the palm nuts are processed on site using steam and pressure. daabon wants the production to be as environmentally-friendly as possible at a time when colombia is already feeling the effects of climate change. >> like all companies dependent on the climate and affected by droughts, winter or the rainy season, we react very sensitively to climate changes. and we can already see today -- we have periods of heavy rains followed by harsh droughts -- it didn't used to be like that. >> daabon even uses the palm nut husks as natural fertilizer for the soil. and they've installed a big methane gas plant to capture the greenhouse gas emitted by decaying waste and turn it into power.

they also treat and reuse the water on the plantation. but some environmental activists remain opposed to palm oil production. they say stronger controls and guarantees are needed to prevent further land clearing. but many consider the daabon plantation a model of sustainable farming. the company has left 9% of its land untouched as conservation areas for animals and plants. it has no plans to cut trees to expand production. several small farmers have switched to natural palm oil which they sell to daabon.

felipe moreno is 84 years old and the third generation in his family to farm. he grows bananas and vegetables for his own consumption. but he's stopped his rice cropping and has begun producing palm oil instead. >> i lost money growing rice. and it was a lot of hard work. but now the palms are a lot easier. i cut some bunches yesterday and was able to sell them in the afternoon. i got money for it. that's a real advantage. >> but not everybody has benefited from palm oil production. the wwf experts are using their expedition to the orinoco basin to ensure that natural land isn't unscrupulously converted into farmland. their aim is to protect the region's biodiversity.

>> we believe that our studies can influence policymaking in colombia. they provide further arguments in favor of protecting the environment and biodiversity and raise the political pressure. for instance, there's sustainable production in orinoco, and that should continue. we're trying to foster that development. >> new maps are meant to indicate the conservation areas. the orinoco basin in southern colombia isn't just rich in biodiversity, it also serves as a huge carbon sink. that doesn't just help boost biodiversity but helps protect the global climate too. certified palm oil production, which meets basic sustainability criteria, ha jumped from 4% globally to more than 10% over the past three years.

more is needed but clearly some progress there. making better use of nature's resources is also the aim of a group of students at makarere university in uganda. like many big cities kampala is choking in smog. that's why the engineers-to be are designing their own electric vehicle. the kiira could become the first car made-in-uganda. proof that uganda's home-grown technology is more than happy to skip a few generations of the combustion engine and go straight for renewable energy. it's rush hour in kampala -- the air stinks of exhaust fumes. private car ownership is steadily growing in uganda. it's expected to rise by 40% this year.

pauline korukundo has had her owncar for the past few months. it's made her more independent but she has trouble with the pollution in the city. >> i really feel it, sometimes i can't drive with my windows down i have to pull them up all the time, and it really affects me. >> pauline realizes that she's part of the problem because she drives her own car. but she's working on finding an alternative. the 24-year-old engineer is a student at the makerere university. she's part of a team of students from different disciplines -- design, construction and engineering. together, they've developed an electric car. it's a first in uganda -- a unique project so far.

and this is what it looks like -- the kiira. a two-seater that goes up to 80 kilometers an hour. it doesn't emit pollutants and is relatively quiet. a model car not really meant for mass production. but team leader paul musasizi is still very proud. >> we decided to do a proof of concept to demonstrate that uganda has the talent, the discipline and commitment to be able to realize such a high tech intervention of an electric car. >> the project was all the more difficult given that uganda has no car manufacturing industry. getting all the parts was a challenge.

standard components like the engine and the lithium battery had to be imported. >> this vehicle was assembled from right here; the mechanical work was done from here. >> we're on the ground floor of the university -- in a workshop. this is where phillip kasayke and his colleague produced the car body. they didn't have the right tools but it was fun building the first car of their lives. >> we did the welding; we did the drilling and fixing a number of things on the car. that was our part and arranging and setting up the car that was our part.

>> the electric car needs charging. it takes five hours and uses normal household electricity of 240 volts. the fully-charged kiira can travel 80 kilometers. >> the technology is fairly new to us, the manufacturers of electric cars out there also don't have the documentation readily available for consumptions there was a lot of figuring out what we needed to do and it was quite a major challenge, more so given the fact that we were working with undergraduate students, there was quite a lot to be learnt. >> the students worked on the car for over two years -- with plenty of ups and downs. pauline helped developed the on- board electronics. now she's working on her next project. >> the high breed solar plug in bus, we will have to integrate some solar on the project that we have already done to make something bigger and to do some intelligent charging in there.

that's what's next. >> fuel is expensive in uganda and the country is reliant on oil exports. smart solutions for renewable energies are in huge demand. the country already generates its own hydro electric power. >> definitely electric cars can be an alternative and if i could have one i would really get one. >> but that could take a long time. like elsewhere, conventional, gas-guzzling cars and trucks dominate the roads. electric cars may have a hard time gaining a toehold here, too. literally africa on the move here. and now we'd like to hear what globalization means to you, our viewers. filip ledinscak in the croatian capital zagreb followed our invitation and answered our

global questionnaire, which you can find on our webpage. here's what he has to say: >> my name is filip ledinscak. i'm 28 years old, and i live in zagreb. i'm a trained graphic designer and try to earn my living as an illustrator. but since there aren't many jobs, i've been working for quite a while as a sound engineer.

for me, globalization is a good thing and we should all keep going in this direction. actually, i'm not really worried about anything. or just about your normal everyday problems.

i like eating but i don't have a special favorite dish. the main thing is to eat well. i only expect positive things. that we live better lives in the future and that things will be nicer. actually, i'd like to travel all over the world. but if i had to decide on one country it would be the netherlands. i've been there and i like how the people there are with each other and how they live.

>> now -- shrimps are an increasingly popular delicacy. that's why mass production has long replaced catches of wild stock. but shrimp farming is also a murky business. usually farmers use cocktails of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and antibiotics to create stable conditions for their stock. the thai province of chantaburi is well accustomed to the desasterous ecological side effects of the shrimp industry. here we found one farmer trying a different approach without chemicals. >> these shrimp have never seen the ocean. they're industrial goods. they're cheap and produced for the global market. cooked, peeled, glazed and then deep frozen -- these cocktail shrimp are an export hit. they end up in supermarkets in the us and europe. even major discount chains in germany are customers of this thai shrimp factory.

the marketing director loves fast cars. and his company's growth rates are equally speedy -- up to 10% every year. >> we've optimized the production of shrimp to such a degree that we can sell them at a cheap price. we have a large selection -- barbecue shrimp with vegetables or shrimp in a butter crust. >> shrimp have become a global mass product. they're bred on commercial farms -- also known as aquaculture. we wanted to find out exactly where the shrimp come from and at what environmental price the cheap frozen shrimp are produced. our research begins in the province of chantaburi. here we meet kritsada hongrath. he's one of the few organic farmers in thailand. today, it's harvest time. >> they look good. the legs, the tail.

everything's clean. no wounds, nothing's broken. that tells you how healthy the shrimp are. >> with over 140 ponds, hongrath's company is one of the biggest in thailand. but he's relatively alone in embracing organic production methods. a german ecological organization has certified the company. it's standards are strict -- only organic feed, no genetically modified products, no chemicals. and more room for the shrimp. there are three times fewer here. >> the other farmers laugh at us. they think we're crazy because it costs more and brings less profit. but we say -- if we don't do it, who will? >> chantaburi province in eastern thailand lives off of shrimp breeding with one farm bordering on the next. sustainability isn't a big concern here.

hongrath tells us that the use of chemicals is an open secret here. in recent years food scandals have forced thai authorities to implement stronger controls and limit antibiotics. but they're still widely used. >> a few farmers still use antibiotics. and of course they don't want anyone to see that. they're scared about the consequences. >> we don't have to look very far. containers full of chemicals are found on the small farms in particular. most don't want to talk about their breeding methods. this shrimp farmer only allows us to film him with sunglasses and a hat. he owns seven ponds. he says it's a tough business. >> if the water quality worsens, i have to do something and adapt. otherwise the animals quickly become sick.

>> the farmer shows us his disinfectants -- pesticides, herbicides and tenside. in thailand it's legal to use them. environmental groups say the important thing is how strong the dose is. too high a concentration can leave a chemica residue in the shrimp. we ask about the use of antibiotics. but it's hard to get an answer. >> i have my own methods about when i use what. it depends. i use many things. it's difficult to explain. >> back to the organic farm. the shrimp are harvested according to size and sent for further processing to the factory. the consumer will never know that these shrimp are organically produced as 95% are mixed with conventionally ones. the farmer can sell the rest at a higher price and with an organic certification.

>> if customers are only prepared to pay cheap prices it naturally impacts on the roduction process. as long as there's this price pressure, many shrimp farmers won't change anything about the quality of their production. shrimp farming has already damaged the environment. we're on the coast with sommai sapakun. he manages a project on mangrove reforestation in the chanthaburi province. former shrimp farms are hidden behind the trees. some 90% of the fragile ecosystem here has been devastated by shrimp farming. >> they cut all the trees here to make room for the ponds. they thought they could get rich quick but it hasn't worked. >> the result -- more than a thousand abandoned ponds in the region. they were excessively used for a few years and then neglected because the shrimp didn't survive.

toxic waste dumps have been left behind. the people who live off and with the water here need new perspectives. many are now doing what their parents did -- working as simple fishermen. others have been trained to work in eco-tourism. we meet sayan opachat. every afternoon at 5, he comes to his former shrimp pond -- now only to feed the sea eagles. he earns money by showing tourists around the region and the eagles. >> every now and then i catch a few shrimp. over there. but only the wild ones. when the tourists come, i'm here with my sea eagles. >> it's the end of our trip. we accompany jum yuvet. he's one of the last remaining traditional shrimp farmers.

he works the whole day for a few kilos of shrimp. he's powerless against the big fishing boats as well as the cheap shrimp from the farm. but he's sure about one thing. >> i only eat these here, never ones from the farm. my shrimp have firmer meat -- they simply taste much better. >> jum yuvet believes his shrimp are the real thing -- a delicacy for anyone who's willing to pay a bit more for quality. >> and that was this week's edition of global 3000. thanks for watching and we hope ou'll tune in again the same time next week. until then from me and the entire global team here in berlin -- bye bye! captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--