PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Ensuring transparency and sustainability in agriculture relies heavily on the traceability of products. With the upcoming implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in early 2025, digital platforms for traceability are poised to play a crucial role.
Rizal Affandi Lukman, the General Secretary of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), noted that the development of digital platforms is underway. These platforms will serve as effective traceability tools for various agricultural commodities, including coffee, cocoa, and palm oil.
One innovation implemented is that digital platform to trace the process of (a) product that derived not from forest damage in forest regions, to qualify the terms and conditions in EUDR.
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The third party is developing the digital platform and would be voluntarily applied within specific costs, just like a service.
Meanwhile, the Government of Indonesia planned to provide its own digital platform, such as, Clearing House. It would be the (official) digital platform for some commodities, for instance, palm oil, wood, rubber, cocoa, and coffee.
For the main commodity, for instance, palm oil, the Government of Indonesia launched Sistem Informasi Perizinan Perkebunan (Siperibun) particularly for palm oil planters. Through Siperibun, more palm oil plantation companies involved in and this is positive to support transparency and sustainability in palm oil supply chain.
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For the smallholders, the plan would be by integrating Electronic – Cultivation Documents that would consist of information, such as, name of smallholders, plantation width, geolocation. Ministry of Agriculture is trying to get the information in digital system so that everything would be put into database.
Besides, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) is preparing new traceability platform which was designed to note, track every transaction of palm oil product. The platform would function as the preparation to qualify the terms and conditions in EUDR or known as Sawit Intelligent Management System (SIMS).
Though these are the new breakthrough, the question raises, would European Union be read to accept and integrate digital platform that Indonesia and Malaysia develop?
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Back to Rizal, he said that it is important the the platforms should connect to the ports in European Union, to confirm that every commodity sent there, has obeyed sustainability standards and derived not from deforestation.
“For instance, Indonesia has developed the bridge and so has Malaysia. European Union should also prepare as the proof that every commodity sent in the port would be free of deforestation, and should point (an) authority that is in charge to check the commodities qualified EUDR,” Rizal said. (T2)
