PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Land legality issues involving smallholder oil palm plantations located within forest-designated areas remain one of the biggest barriers to accelerating Indonesia’s Smallholder Palm Oil Replanting Program (PSR). The government is now pushing for faster resolution through stronger inter-ministerial coordination and the establishment of a dedicated task force.
Togu Rudianto Saragih, Head of the Oil Palm Cultivation Group at the Directorate General of Estates under the Ministry of Agriculture, said many farmers have cultivated their land for years through legitimate means and even hold government-issued certificates, yet still face unresolved legal status due to overlapping forest area classifications.
He noted that some farmers manage around four hectares of land used both for cultivation and housing, but the plots remain subject to legal uncertainties that require policy alignment across multiple agencies.
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“The legality issue is now being addressed, and we hope the acceleration task force can help resolve the obstacles that farmers have faced for years,” Togu said during a closed discussion forum at Menara Agrinas Palma in Jakarta on Monday (27/4/2026), attended by Palmoilmagazine.com.
According to him, the government has formed a special task force under the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs to speed up solutions related to land legality while supporting PSR implementation nationwide.
However, Togu stressed that the biggest challenge is not coordination at the central government level, but differences in interpretation and execution at regional levels. Communication among ministries has improved, he said, but policy directives are not always translated consistently in the field.
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Technical processes such as land polygon mapping and on-site verification also remain major obstacles. The cost of land measurement and spatial data preparation is considered too high for many smallholders, creating another barrier to joining the replanting program.
“The state must be present. Farmers should focus on applying good agricultural practices, while administrative and legal matters are assisted by the government,” he said.
The Directorate General of Estates views land legality resolution as a critical requirement to meet national PSR acceleration targets. Without legal certainty and clear land status, productivity gains from replanting programs will remain difficult to achieve.
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Officials hope ongoing cross-sector coordination forums will move beyond discussion and deliver concrete actions to speed up PSR implementation across Indonesia’s key palm oil producing regions, allowing millions of hectares of smallholder plantations to improve productivity and competitiveness. (P2)
