PALMOILMAGAZINE, KUALA LUMPUR — The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RT2025) once again gathered stakeholders from around the world in Malaysia, celebrating their commitment to driving sustainable palm oil practices. Through the RSPO Excellence Awards, industry players from various countries were recognized for their contributions to transforming the global palm oil sector.
One of this year’s award recipients is Perkumpulan Petani Mitra Harapan (PPMH), an independent smallholder group from Kalimantan Village, Manis Mata District, Ketapang, West Kalimantan. The group was honored for successfully implementing farm management practices that are not only productive but also environmentally responsible.
Since becoming an official RSPO member on 31 January 2023, PPMH has steadily expanded its sustainability initiatives. The group combines oil palm cultivation with agroecological approaches to balance farm productivity with ecological preservation.
PPMH has carried out several concrete actions, including protecting 51 hectares of remaining forest in their area, planting 1,000 agarwood seedlings to boost biodiversity, developing nurseries with up to 12,000 seedlings of various tree species for members, and promoting participatory natural resource management through environmentally friendly practices.
Sandi Priana, the group’s manager, emphasized that preserving nature is a long-term investment. “When we take care of nature, nature will return the favor with abundant benefits for the community,” he said, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com from Fortasbi on Friday (21/11/2025).
Strengthening Community Roles
Beyond forest protection, PPMH also empowers indigenous communities through tree planting, drafting village regulations, and strengthening community capacity. In the agricultural sector, the group frequently holds training sessions for farmers on land management, crop care, fertilizer provision, and access to heavy equipment and high-quality seedlings.
The RSPO Excellence Awards were presented during the RT2025 Welcome Reception on Monday, 3 November 2025, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. The ceremony serves as a platform for RSPO to celebrate meaningful contributions from its members in addressing the challenges within the global palm oil industry.
The Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil Farmers Forum (FORTASBI) expressed pride in PPMH’s achievement, noting that the award demonstrates the vital role independent smallholders play in supporting national palm oil sustainability.
“Independent smallholders are not only focused on increasing FFB production; they are also showing strong commitment to sustainable environmental management,” a FORTASBI representative said.
PPMH Ketapang is now expected to inspire other farmer groups across the country to strengthen community-based, sustainable palm oil cultivation practices. (P2)
