InfoSAWIT, KOTAPINANG – Plantation Agency North Sumatera Province did socialization about the preparation of Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification scheme to the tens of independent smallholders in District of Labuhanbatu Selatan (Labusel) in the late days.
It was running in the hall of office of Regent of Labusel, presenting the speakers from General Directorate of Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, and PT Kompasia Emviro Institute as the institution that delivers sustainable palm oil practice training.
There were 30 independent smallholders from Gabungan Kelompok Tani (Gapoktan) Aek Raso Maju Bersama, Koperasi Unit Desa (KUD) Makmur Jaya, Kelompok Tani (Poktan) Pasir Tuntung Jaya, KUD Sumber Makmur, and KUD Sentosa.
They already knew to get socialization about smallholders replanting program (SRP) from the officials of plantations in District of Labusel. The socialization was funded by the Regional Expenditure in 2022. The participants and the officials were enthusiastic to join it.
It is understandable because the smallholders are parts of supply chain to the mills in Labusel. The socialization is significant to accelerate ISPO certification because the certification mandatory for the smallholders would end in 2025.
Plantation Agency North Sumatera Province thought, the smallholders really need development from the regional government, starting from the socialization development about ISPO, the development about class grade of plantations, getting Cultivation Documents, and Statement to be able to cultivate and monitor the environment.
“Helping them about legal area certificate, land issue, and environmental issue,” Plantation Agency North Sumatera mentioned, as in the official statement to InfoSAWIT, Monday (27/6/2022).
The agency emphasized, ISPO is about to make sure that sustainable principles regulated in the related policies should be running, creating climate commitment, and escalate palm oil competition from Indonesia both in the domestic and in international markets.
“ISPO is mandatory for the smallholders which is regulated in the Regulation of Minister of Agriculture Number 38 / 2020 about the Execution of Plantation Certification,” the agency mentioned. (T5)
