InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Madrid and Rome were the witnesses of Epistemic Community and Market Forum (ECMF) meeting on 30 November to 1 December 2023. The meeting gathered more than 50 stakeholders in many sectors, such as, the government, private, non-government organization, and academy. The main focus of the meeting was about to anticipate the (bad) impacts from European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) so that the smallholders in Indonesia would not be put aside (to sell their products) in European Union (EU).
In the meeting, Head of Foreign Policy Strategy Agency, Yayan G.H. Mulyana said that palm oil has vital roles in economic relationship with Spain and Italy.
It is the superior commodity in food and cosmetic industries for the two countries. Palm oil contributed about 54% and 52% from the imports in each country. Dr. Yayan G.H. Mulyana also told that Indonesian smallholders should urgently participated in vegetable oil supply and other agricultural commodities in the continent.
As in the official statement to InfoSAWIT, Tuesday (5/12/2023), the forum was understandable about palm oil negative perception in the continent because the European might think that palm oil would deliver the bad for the environment and health.
Dr. Musdalifah Mahmud, Expert Staff of Connectivity, Service Development and Natural Resource said that Indonesia is committed to get sustainable palm oil production and trade.
Co-Founder Competere (Italia), Prof. Pietro Paganini told it needs to get consulation between EU and other producer countries and also smallholders before publishing policy. He also mentioned that smallholders in Indonesia just reach about 40-42%, which are much less than coffee, cocoa, and rubber farmers.
Meanwhile Head of Multilateral Policy Strategy Center, Rio Budi Rahmanto, reminded that until now EUDR does not consider the way and sustainability achievement which exist. He was sorry that the policy would vanish Indonesian smallholders from EU countries (to sell their products).
By having survey, the participants of the forum also emphasized that it needs to make sure that Indonesian smallholders would inclusively participate. Spain, Italy and Indonesia should be in synergy to confirm sustainability in palm oil industries and other agricultural commodities. There would be open dialogue with EU because it would be the key to make sure there would be fair and inclusive policy for Indonesian smallholders internationally. (T2)
