CPOPC Gathered Smallholder from Three Continents to Tackle Yield Crisis and Build Global Cooperation

• Created Date: 05 May 2025

Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) inaugurated the International Smallholders Workshop (ISW) 2025 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, from 2–3 May 2025. With the theme “Breaking Barriers in Achieving Targeted Yield: Driving Success Through Oil Palm Replanting and GAP Adoption”, the workshop united voices from across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and beyond to accelerate the transformation of the global palm oil smallholder community.

The two-day event featured high-level presentations, policy dialogues, and field visits to oil palm plantations to demonstrate Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). ISW 2025 aims to address the longstanding issue of yield stagnation and low replanting rates among smallholders, by providing practical knowledge, success stories, and cross-country learning.

More than 80 smallholder representatives and officials joined in-person attendance, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Thailand, and Myanmar. In addition, online registrants from countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Ghana, Australia, Pakistan, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Guatemala, Netherlands, India, and Singapura creating a powerful hybrid platform for exchange and collaboration.

“This workshop is not just a seminar—it’s a collaborative platform to empower smallholders with tools, knowledge, and networks they need to thrive,” emphasized Dr. Rizal Affandi Lukman, Secretary General of CPOPC, in his opening remarks. CPOPC SG also reaffirmed CPOPC’s commitment regarding the smallholders’ inclusion in the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), “CPOPC underscores the critical importance of ensuring that smallholders remain an integral part of the palm oil supply chain under the EUDR. Its implementation must not come at the expense of their livelihoods. The smallholders' inclusion is essential not only for social equity but also for the long-term success of sustainable development goals.”

Smallholders contribute over 40% of the world’s palm oil production, yet many remain burdened by aging plantations, limited access to agronomic technology, and inadequate financing. ISW 2025 shed light on these persistent barriers and explores solutions through real-world case studies from countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Honduras, and Papua New Guinea.

Day one of the workshop focused on strategies to improve smallholder yields, including presentations on replanting programs from Indonesia’s BPDPKS and Malaysia’s MPOB, as well as grassroots insights from smallholders who are not yet certified under sustainability schemes. A robust panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Witjaksana Darmosarkoro, Director of Sustainability and Smallholders of CPOPC, discussed productivity gaps and the systemic challenges in addressing them.

The afternoon session spotlighted sustainable oil palm cultivation, with lessons from Thailand’s Plaipraya Community Enterprise Group, Honduras’ Hondupalma, and the Oil Palm Industry Corporation of Papua New Guinea. Special attention was given to attracting millennials to oil palm farming, with youth-focused strategies shared by Ts. Muhamad Nazarwin Bin Zainal Abidin, Malaysia’s Young Elaeis Ambassador (YEA) from the 1st Batch. This session was moderated by Datuk Nageeb Wahab.

On 3 May, the workshop continued with a field visit to Johor Plantation Berhad, allowing participants to witness firsthand how the adoption of GAP and modernized plantation management can increase yields, improve environmental performance, and support long-term livelihoods for smallholders.

“It was very educational and informative. We learnt a lot that will help our oil palm industry. We saw how both Indonesia and Malaysia were able to solve some challenges within the sector. Hence, we would also try those methods. It was an amazing experience.  The field trip also helped us to really understand behaviour of oil palm seedlings,” said Mr. Selorm Quame, a Ghanaian smallholder.

“I was very well impressed by the clean plantation, well-trimmed leaves, perfectly accommodated in the row, well controlled weeds and well-trained workers. In the nursery, I liked the irrigation system and the perfect fertilization and weed control. Presentations were clear and to the point. I particularly liked the explanation over plant abnormalities to be avoided,” Mr. Gundemaro Castillo, an oil palm smallholder from Honduras, shared his views.

“We participated for the first time at the international level, and this practical meeting was a good thing. It made us know each other and saw the importance of small oil palm farmers. The good things and the obstacles that were shared make us more open,” opined Mr. Kuakun Seangtan Plaipraya from Thailand.

The International Smallholders Workshop launched in 2022 is a flagship initiative under CPOPC’s Smallholders Outreach Program (SOP), launched in 2019. It reflects the Council’s strong commitment to elevating the role of smallholders in achieving a fair and sustainable palm oil sector. ISW 2025 also contributes to ongoing international dialogues, particularly amid evolving regulatory landscapes such as the EUDR. Through dialogue, practical demonstration, and global solidarity, ISW 2025 is expected to produce actionable recommendations for enhancing replanting schemes, scaling up GAP adoption, and strengthening smallholder resilience.