InfoSAWIT, YOGYAKARTA — Climate change is becoming increasingly visible, bringing new challenges for independent palm oil farmers. Irregular rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and rising pest and disease pressures are putting smallholders at greater risk. In this situation, sustainability, adaptation, and mitigation efforts have become crucial to maintaining productivity and long-term resilience.
The Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil Farmers Forum (FORTASBI) reported that throughout 2025, the organization has supported 60 independent farmer groups committed to a dual objective: increasing productivity while applying sustainable plantation practices. This commitment serves as a vital foundation for farmers facing climate impacts on the ground.
According to information obtained by InfoSAWIT from FORTASBI on Tuesday (9/12/2025), the organization has consistently worked to strengthen members' capacity. Throughout the year, FORTASBI has conducted multiple training programs ranging from regenerative agriculture and Carbon Training of Trainers (ToT) to carbon footprint calculation and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction education for hundreds of farmers. All initiatives aim to help farmers adopt low-carbon plantation management.
Sustainability certification also remains a key focus. Beyond promoting good agricultural practices, certification reinforces climate action through more efficient and responsible farm management.
For independent smallholders, climate mitigation is far more than a slogan. Many have implemented concrete practices such as land intensification to avoid expansion, the use of organic fertilizers made from empty fruit bunches and livestock manure, enrichment planting, rehabilitation of high conservation value areas, improved peatland management, and tree planting to enhance carbon sequestration.
These efforts have now become part of FORTASBI’s broader collaboration with certified farmers to produce lower-emission fresh fruit bunches (FFB).
For FORTASBI, climate mitigation is a collective movement that can only succeed through collaboration—not merely individual effort but a shared commitment to ensuring independent palm oil farms remain productive, sustainable, and resilient in the face of climate change. (T2)
