PALMOILMAGAZINE, MAMUJU – The Oil Palm SmallholdersUnion (SPKS) is collaborating with the West Sulawesi Provincial Plantation Office and the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) to accelerate the implementation of the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification for independent oil palm smallholders in the region. Awareness programs were held in three districts—Mamuju, Central Mamuju, and Pasangkayu—reaching around 500 smallholders managing a total of 1,000 hectares.
West Sulawesi is known as the region with the largest oil palm plantations in Sulawesi, covering approximately 155,958 hectares, 40% of which are managed by independent smallholders . However, no independent smallholder groups in the province have obtained ISPO certification to date.
SPKS Chairman Sabarudin highlighted the importance of ISPO certification in promoting sustainability in the palm oil industry and enhancing smallholders ’ competitiveness in international markets. “We aim to have farmer cooperatives in West Sulawesi certified under ISPO by 2025. This certification is vital as it includes farmer data, land coordinates, organizational standards, cultivation practices, and partnerships with companies,” Sabarudin said in a statement to Palmoilmagazine.com on Saturday, November 30, 2024.
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One of the main challenges is the cost of certification, which amounts to approximately IDR 300 million for one cooperative. Sabarudin urged the government to ensure funding support from BPDPKS and revenue-sharing funds (DBH) from palm oil to assist with preparation and the ISPO audit process.
I Wayan Purwase, Head of the Plantation Division for Central Mamuju, expressed the local government’s commitment to supporting ISPO certification. “We have allocated funding from palm oil DBH to accelerate certification and prepare several farmer groups for this process. Additionally, smallholders can access BPDPKS funds through infrastructure programs,” he explained.
Similarly, Fatmawati, Head of the Plantation Division for Pasangkayu, emphasized that the Pasangkayu Regency Government facilitates free issuance of Cultivation Registration Certificates (STDB) for smallholders as an initial step toward ISPO certification. “We are also focusing on utilizing palm oil DBH to assist smallholders in the certification process,” she added.
Through ISPO certification, independent oil palm smallholders in West Sulawesi are expected to meet Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards and strengthen partnerships with companies. These efforts not only support environmental sustainability but also enhance the global competitiveness of Indonesian palm oil.
With collaboration between SPKS, local governments, and funding institutions, ISPO certification for independent smallholders in West Sulawesi is expected to be achieved on target. This initiative is an essential step in realizing a more sustainable and competitive national palm oil industry. (P2)
