SMALLHOLDER WORKSHOP AND FIELD VISIT

Smallholders are central to the palm oil supply chain in the upstream sector. Indonesia, Malaysia and Honduras, three members of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), record more than 41%, 27%, and 50% of oil palm production in respective countries coming from the small­holders. With this significant position in palm oil production, smallholders have an important role to prove that their production is sustainable.

Indonesia and Malaysia have mandated the sustainable production of oil palm through Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) in response to growing consumer demand for certified sustainable palm oil apart from the mandatory certification, some oil palm stakeholders in Indonesia, Malaysia and Honduras also implement the Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification. These certification schemes are part of catalysts for transforming the palm oil industry towards sustainability. 

However, smallholders face many challenges as compared to big oil palm plantations when it comes to implementing the sustainable agriculture practice. Limited knowledge on good agriculture practice and sustain­ability, lack of funds to invest in quality agricultural inputs and technologies to support their operational activities are among those challenges.

As a Council established by Indonesia and Malaysia, CPOPC is mandated to improve the welfare of smallholders and strengthen cooperation among oil palm producers. It is important that the smallholders are being guided and supported in realizing sustainability. Education on the importance of sustainability and how to obtain the certifications to prove that their practice is up to the standard is greatly needed.

Continuing the success implementation of Smallholders Workshop and Field Visit in Medan last year, CPOPC Secretariat will be convening another smallholder’s workshops and field visit this year in a hybrid model which essentially is a continuation of CPOPC annual Smallholders Outreach Program (SOP) that was started back in 2019.

This upcoming Workshop and Field Visit will focus on enhancing the capacity building of smallholders to obtain sustainable certification, improving the good agricultural practices, automation, and mechanisation, to share lessons learnt from one another as well as to discuss the upcoming implementation of EUDR from smallholders’ point of view.

To signify further the added value of the workshop, the CPOPC Secretariat will also bring representatives of smallholders from Indonesia and Malaysia to visit Sime Darby’s oil palm plantation to allow participants to gain insight hands on especially on automation and mechanisation that could be beneficial to be adopted and adapted to the need of smallholders.

For registration, access through this link: https://bit.ly/CPOPCSW2023

AGENDA