PALMOILMAGAZINE, ACEH SINGKIL – The Sustainable Living Village (SLV) program, implemented by Apical in collaboration with its partners, has marked a significant milestone in its second year in Aceh Singkil District, Aceh. Held at the Aceh Singkil Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) office, the initiative has shown notable progress through tree planting, capacity building for oil palm farmers, and strengthening of farmer organizations.
The SLV program is a sustainable village development model that balances socio-economic impact with environmental protection. Through this initiative, farmers receive guidance to adopt sustainable oil palm practices while also being encouraged to diversify their income sources, such as through trigona honey farming, which boosts earnings and helps reduce pressure on forest areas.
This program is a joint effort between Apical Group, the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), the Sustainable Ecosystem Foundation (YEL), and the Leuser Conservation Forum (FKL), in partnership with the Aceh Singkil District Government. This synergy ensures that every achievement aligns with the region’s development agenda and the palm oil sector’s sustainability targets.
One of the program’s key achievements is the training of 1,000 farmers in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Best Management Practices (BMP). GAP equips farmers with efficient and environmentally friendly cultivation techniques, while BMP translates these principles into practical field operations—from balanced fertilization to integrated pest management.
Aceh Singkil Deputy Regent, H. Hamzah Sulaiman, SH., welcomed the achievement. “We appreciate our partners’ consistent support in assisting farmers, strengthening institutions, and opening better market and financing access,” he said in an official statement received by Palmoilmagazine.com, Saturday (Aug 9, 2025).
Apical reaffirmed its commitment to delivering measurable value. “Our focus is to help farmers progress through good cultivation practices, land legality access, and cooperative strengthening,” said Sugiantoro, CSR Manager at Apical Group. “Training 1,000 farmers lays a strong foundation to expand SLV’s impact in the coming years.”
Governance strengthening has also been realized through the establishment of two independent oil palm farmer cooperatives. These cooperatives serve as platforms for procuring production inputs, ensuring transparent Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) marketing, and preparing for sustainability certification.
On the legality front, more than 500 farmers have obtained their electronic Cultivation Registration Certificate (e-STDB). This document is crucial for accessing formal financing, enhancing bargaining power, and meeting certification requirements such as ISPO and RSPO. “Proper land legality is key to building an inclusive and traceable supply chain, as well as enabling financing access,” said Nassat Idris, Chair of IDH.
The SLV program in Aceh Singkil reflects Apical’s 5C philosophy—Good for Community, Country, Climate, Customer, and Company—which promotes collaboration between companies, government, and communities to build resilient villages and a greener, more sustainable future. (P2)
