InfoSAWIT, MAMUJU – The Palm Oil Farmers Union (SPKS) has partnered with the Provincial Plantation Office of West Sulawesi and the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) to expedite the adoption of Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification for independent palm oil farmers in the region. Awareness programs have been conducted across three districts—Mamuju, Central Mamuju, and Pasangkayu—engaging approximately 500 farmers managing a total area of 1,000 hectares.
West Sulawesi is known for having the largest palm oil plantations in Sulawesi, covering about 155,958 hectares. Of this, 40% is managed by independent farmers. However, no independent farmer groups in the province have achieved ISPO certification to date.
SPKS Chairman, Sabarudin, emphasized the significance of ISPO certification for promoting sustainability and enhancing the competitiveness of farmers in international markets. “We aim to have farmer cooperatives in West Sulawesi certified by 2025. ISPO certification is vital as it includes farmer data, land coordinates, institutional frameworks, cultivation standards, and partnerships with companies,” Sabarudin stated in a press release received by InfoSAWIT on Saturday.
One of the main challenges, however, is the certification cost, which can reach IDR 300 million per cooperative. Sabarudin urged the government to allocate funding from BPDPKS and palm oil revenue-sharing funds (DBH) to support the preparation and audit processes for ISPO certification.
I Wayan Purwase, Head of the Plantation Division in Central Mamuju Regency, affirmed the local government’s commitment to supporting ISPO certification. “We have allocated funding from DBH palm oil to accelerate ISPO certification and are preparing several farmer groups for the process. Farmers can also access BPDPKS funds through infrastructure programs,” he explained.
Similarly, Fatmawati, Head of the Plantation Division in Pasangkayu Regency, highlighted the local government’s efforts to facilitate free registration for farmers’ cultivation permits (STDB) as a preliminary step toward ISPO certification. “We are also focusing on utilizing DBH palm oil funds to assist farmers during the certification process,” she added.
Through ISPO certification, independent palm oil farmers in West Sulawesi are expected to meet Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards and strengthen partnerships with companies. This initiative aims to promote environmental sustainability while increasing the global competitiveness of Indonesian palm oil.
By fostering collaboration between SPKS, local governments, and funding agencies, the ISPO certification for independent farmers in West Sulawesi is on track to become a reality. This effort marks a critical step toward building a more sustainable and competitive national palm oil industry. (T2)
