InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA - 13 years of ISPO implementation just realized 0,3% for smallholders. Actually in 2025, it should cover almost 100% for every planter because the government targeted that in the period, ISPO certificate is mandatory. That is why it massively and innovatively needs actions by implementing big scale certification system by having jurisdiction approach. SPKS thought the (jurisdiction) approach would accelerate ISPO certification namely for smallholders.
Certification system could not answer the challenges that smallholders are facing namely those who are not in group which the numbers might be about 70% of their plantations that laid on 6,9 million hectares. SPKS also mentioned that to solve this issue, there should be institution in regional level, such as regional government because this institution gets the access to manage palm oil profit sharing and fund from Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency. Regional government has access to the central government and has bureaucracy and political infrastructures that are completed and be considered to have compatibility to mobilze ISPO certification in smallholders’ level. By having jurisdiction approach, there would be massive smallholders to get ISPO certification.
ISPO certification is very complicated to be implemented by the smallholders who live in 16.500 villages in Indonesia, for instance, they have to establish group in the first place in each village, get data, training, development, deal with area legal, deal with the institutioin, and should socialize (their institution). The process would take some time and it is very complicated. The regulation should simplify it, accommodate big scale certification approach with jurisdiction approach so that the smallholders would get ISPO certificate easily.
As smallholders’ organization, SPKS keeps doing its best to organize independent smallholders and do training about the best and sustainable practices. Then SPKS would encourage to get multiparty – collaboration, including with the government, non-government organizations, plantation companies, smallholders and the people would cooperate to implement ISPO principles and criteria by having jurisdiction approach.
Bernadinus Steni Sugiarto of Kaleka mentioned that the financial issue in certification process may have solution if the smallholders that are joining the process are in massive numbers. From the previous experiences, if 500 smallholders joined the process, it would spend US$ 170 per hectare. But if 2.000 smallholders joined the process, it would spend only less than US$ 50 per hectare.
Steni thought, it is crucial to escalate capacity, map, establish organization, and legality to maintain the sustainability in palm oil industries. These aspects should be supported by the government and coordinated by the local authority.
In big scale ISPO certification process, it needs to be efficient maximally. That is why jurisdiction approach would be the key to implement the audit. The regional government plays important roles to lead/manage the process by involving other stakeholders, such as, the officials, NGO, industries, and smallholders. The collaboration would support one to another among the stakeholders and confirm that the implementation would be sustainable and holistic.
Then, he continued that the incentive would be important part to encourage the active participation and involvement from these parties. One party that would significantly get the advantage is the smallholders.
“By having jurisdiction approach, the companies in the region would collaborate and support one to another. The regional government is in charge to facilitate the cooperation by delivering facilitated needed,” he said in public discussion and press conference that SPKS conducted, Wednesday (3/4/2024) in Jakarta. (T2)
