PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – The Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification system struggles to address the challenges faced by smallholders, particularly those who are not part of organized groups, which could make up around 70% of plantations covering approximately 6.9 million hectares.
Serikat Petani Kelapa Sawit (SPKS) has highlighted the need for regional-level institutions, such as regional governments, to intervene in managing palm oil profit sharing and funds from the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA). Regional governments possess the necessary access and infrastructure to facilitate ISPO certification among smallholders effectively.
Whether acknowledged or not, ISPO certification presents significant complexities for the approximately 16,500 villages in Indonesia. Smallholders must establish groups, gather data, undergo training, navigate legal procedures, engage with institutions, and undertake extensive socialization efforts. This process is time-consuming and intricate, necessitating regulatory simplification and the adoption of a jurisdictional approach to enable large-scale certification and facilitate easier access for smallholders.
Also Read: A Jurisdictional Approach to Address ISPO Certification Funding for Palm Oil Smallholders
As a smallholders’ organization, SPKS is dedicated to organizing independent smallholders, providing training on best practices, and advocating for multi-stakeholder collaboration. This collaboration involves government entities, non-governmental organizations, plantation companies, smallholders, and communities working together to implement ISPO principles and criteria through a jurisdictional approach.
Chairman of SPKS, Sabarudin said that it is essential to get ISPO fund access more for the smallholders. He thought, the access should not limit to the planters but also the organizations, such as, SPKS that has polygon or partnership with smallholders’ partnership. He told it in a public discussion and press conference that SPKS conducted on Wednesday (3/4/2024) in Jakarta.
Sabarudin also mentioned that SPKS has about 20 thousand members (independent smallholders) in 15 regencies. Unfortunately, they face issues when they wanted to get ISPO certification process, such as, financial. They have no fund enough.
“Unfortunately, the government does not pay attention to the financial issue namely when the smallholders in many locations, such as, in Regency of Sanggau wanted to get it. About 1000 smallholders want to implement ISPO certification process,” he said.
The smallholders in Sanggau have maps (of their plantations), cultivation documents and other terms and conditions to get certification process. Sabarudin mentioned, 12 unions are ready to implement ISPO certification and have qualified administrative terms and condition. But they face financial issue.
It means, getting more financial access in ISPO certification process would be essential to make sure that the smallholders, including those joining organizations, such as, SPKS, would easily join the process. This would help not only in the sustainability but also in supporting Indonesia to promote sustainable palm oil product in the globe. (T2)