InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA - The SMallholder Inclusion for better Livelihood and Empowerment (SMILE) that was launched in 2020, successfully escalate the spirits of many independent smallholders to support sustainable practices in palm oil industries in Indonesia. By focusing on inclusivity and collaboration, the program took three unions that consisted of 628 smallholders to get Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certificate in RSPO Roundtable Conference 2023 in Jakarta.
The smallholders played important roles in palm oil sectors in this country and significantly contributed to palm oil production totally. But they face many challenges to qualify the close sustainability criteria while trying to escalate their plantation production. For the independent smallholders are less than 20 percent of the certified smallholders, the challenges are clear. By realizing their difficulties, Apical, Asian Agri, and Kao got partnership by launching SMILE program.
It plays important roles in sustainability commitment of Asian Agri and Apical in 2030 to get inclusive development.
Through SMILE program, the independent smallholder – Sutoyo as the Chairman of Asosiasi Petani Sawit Swadaya Anugrah in Indragiri Hulu, Riau Province who is also in charge on his 238 members within their plantations about more than 571 hectares, got development and support heading to sustainability. The cooperation he manages, solved the biggest challenges to get RSPO certificate. This is the proof of commitment and development in the program.
“What Sutoyo experienced, delivered the example of the power of collaboration and same motivation not to give up easily,” Sustainability Head Asian Agri, Ivan Novrizaldie said.
Ivan also mentioned, with determination, the union and Sutoyo implemented sustainable practices, solve the audit challenges, and got RSPO certificate eventually. Their achievement is about the same trust and belief to get solution.
Sutoyo mentioned that it was not easy journey because many members in the union did not understand sustainability. But the development from SMILE program team was incredible. The team helped them to solve every challenge, delivered the best solution by having some trainings and the audit was successful.
SMILE program played important roles in trainings and helps for the independent smallholders, empowered them to implement sustainable practices by focusing on inclusivity and making sure that there would be no smallholders left behind. The program is about to escalate sustainability in industrial scale.
“We believe that sustainability is the same responsibility and by having inclusivity, we would make difference. The only solution is by having good trust and spirit of collaboration,” Director of Sustainability Apical Group, Bremen Yong said, as in the official statement to InfoSAWIT, Wednesday (22/11/2023). (T2)
