InfoSAWIT, ACEH SINGKIL — The Sustainable Living Village (SLV) program, run by Apical and its partners, has reached a major milestone in its second year in Aceh Singkil Regency, Aceh. At an event held at the Aceh Singkil Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) office, the initiative showcased significant progress in tree planting, oil palm farmer capacity building, and strengthening farmer organizations.
SLV is a sustainable village development model that aligns socio-economic benefits with environmental protection. Through the program, farmers receive guidance on sustainable palm oil practices and are encouraged to diversify their livelihoods, including ventures such as trigona honey cultivation, which increases income while easing pressure on forest areas.
The program is a collaboration between Apical Group, the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), the Sustainable Ecosystem Foundation (YEL), and the Leuser Conservation Forum (FKL), in partnership with the Aceh Singkil local government.
One of the program’s key achievements is training 1,000 farmers in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Best Management Practices (BMP). GAP teaches efficient, environmentally friendly cultivation methods, while BMP translates these principles into operational steps in the field—from balanced fertilization to integrated pest management.
Deputy Regent of Aceh Singkil, H. Hamzah Sulaiman, SH., welcomed the achievements.
“We appreciate the partners who consistently support farmers, strengthen organizations, and open better access to markets and financing,” he said in an official statement to InfoSAWIT on Saturday (Aug. 9, 2025).
Apical reaffirmed its commitment to delivering measurable added value.
“Our focus is to help farmers level up through good cultivation practices, legal access, and cooperative strengthening,” said Apical Group CSR Manager Sugiantoro. “The achievement of training 1,000 farmers forms a strong foundation for expanding SLV’s impact in the years ahead.”
Governance improvements were also marked by the establishment of two independent smallholder cooperatives to manage input procurement, transparent fresh fruit bunch (FFB) sales, and sustainability certification preparation.
In terms of legality, more than 500 farmers have received electronic Cultivation Registration Certificates (e-STDB), key for accessing formal financing, improving bargaining power, and meeting certification requirements such as ISPO and RSPO.
“Properly documented land legality is essential for inclusive supply chain traceability and financing access,” said IDH Foundation Chairman Nassat Idris.
The SLV program reflects Apical’s 5C philosophy—Good for Community, Country, Climate, Customer, and Company—promoting synergy among companies, governments, and communities to build resilient villages and a greener, more sustainable future. (T2)
