PALMOILMAGAZINE, BENGKAYANG — In response to increasing global market demands for sustainable and deforestation-free palm oil, the Indonesian Oil Palm Smallholders Union (SPKS) is taking proactive steps. Through a series of grassroots outreach programs in palm oil-producing villages across Bengkayang and Sambas Regencies, West Kalimantan, SPKS aims to accelerate the involvement of independent smallholders in sustainable palm oil practices.
SPKS Chairman, Sabarudin, emphasized that these efforts are part of the organization’s long-term commitment to strengthening the role of smallholders amid the tightening global standards for the palm oil industry. The primary focus of the outreach is to promote awareness of the Surat Tanda Daftar Budidaya (STDB) — a legal registration document for palm cultivation — and to prepare farmers for Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification, which has become mandatory under Presidential Regulation No. 16 of 2025.
“We’re going directly to farmer groups in the villages to explain why STDB is crucial. Without it, farmers cannot be formally recognized, let alone qualify for ISPO certification,” Sabarudin told Palmoilmagazine.com on Monday, June 30, 2025.
Also Read: GAPKI and SPKS Forge Strategic Partnership to Free Palm Oil Farmers from Middlemen’s Grip
The outreach activities also support participatory mapping of smallholder plantations — a key requirement for obtaining STDB. This mapping process involves farmers directly to ensure accurate data and verification of land ownership and legality. With this documentation, farmers can gain better access to financing, training, and sustainable markets.
“STDB is the foundation. Once registered, farmers can move forward to ISPO certification, which opens the door to coaching, technical support, and greater marketing opportunities,” Sabarudin explained.
SPKS recognizes that the biggest challenges in promoting sustainability at the grassroots level go beyond regulatory compliance. Many independent smallholders still lack access to training, institutional support, and affordable financing.
To address this, the outreach program is part of a multi-stakeholder collaboration between SPKS, local government authorities, and the international development organization Solidaridad, which has been actively working to strengthen smallholder capacities in West Kalimantan.
SPKS believes that collaborative approaches are key to building a more inclusive and sustainable model for smallholder development.
“This is not just about ticking regulatory boxes. It’s about ensuring that our farmers can survive and compete in a global market that now demands traceable, deforestation-free, and legally produced palm oil,” said Sabarudin.
With the European Union and other markets tightening sustainability and deforestation-related import regulations, ISPO certification is no longer optional — it’s a strategic necessity. By speeding up legal registration and certification processes, SPKS hopes that smallholders can play a larger role in the sustainable palm oil supply chain.
This initiative also aims to enhance farmers’ bargaining power, not just with companies and buyers, but also when seeking access to government programs and financial schemes from banking and credit institutions.
“We want smallholders in West Kalimantan to become key players in the transition toward sustainable palm oil — not merely policy recipients, but active, organized, and capable stakeholders,” Sabarudin concluded.
The outreach program will continue to expand to other villages, with the goal of increasing farmer awareness and readiness to meet both legal and sustainability standards. After all, Indonesia’s palm oil future depends not only on top-down policy, but also on the preparedness of farmers at the grassroots. (P2)
