PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Madrid and Rome played host to the Epistemic Community and Market Forum (ECMF) meeting held on November 30 to December 1, 2023. With over 50 stakeholders representing various sectors, including government, private entities, non-governmental organizations, and academia, the primary objective of the gathering was to proactively address the potential adverse impacts of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The aim was to ensure that Indonesian smallholders would not be marginalized in the European Union (EU) market.
During the meeting, Yayan G.H. Mulyana, the Head of the Foreign Policy Strategy Agency, emphasized the pivotal role of palm oil in the economic ties between Indonesia and Spain and Italy. As a key commodity in the food and cosmetic industries of both countries, palm oil constituted approximately 54% and 52% of imports in Spain and Italy, respectively.
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Dr. Yayan G.H. Mulyana underscored the urgent need for Indonesian smallholders to actively participate in supplying vegetable oil and other agricultural commodities to the continent.
As in the official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com, Tuesday (5/12/2023), the forum was understandable about palm oil negative perception in the continent because the European might think that palm oil would deliver the bad for the environment and health.View Post
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Dr. Musdalifah Mahmud, Expert Staff of Connectivity, Service Development and Natural Resource said that Indonesia is committed to get sustainable palm oil production and trade.
Co-Founder Competere (Italia), Prof. Pietro Paganini told it needs to get consulation between EU and other producer countries and also smallholders before publishing policy. He also mentioned that smallholders in Indonesia just reach about 40-42%, which are much less than coffee, cocoa, and rubber farmers.
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Meanwhile Head of Multilateral Policy Strategy Center, Rio Budi Rahmanto, reminded that until now EUDR does not consider the way and sustainability achievement which exist. He was sorry that the policy would vanish Indonesian smallholders from EU countries (to sell their products).
By having survey, the participants of the forum also emphasized that it needs to make sure that Indonesian smallholders would inclusively participate. Spain, Italy and Indonesia should be in synergy to confirm sustainability in palm oil industries and other agricultural commodities. There would be open dialogue with EU because it would be the key to make sure there would be fair and inclusive policy for Indonesian smallholders internationally. (T2)
