Enhancing Sustainable Practices for Palm Oil
Indonesia: Strengthening Government Collaboration and Policy Influence
Our Indonesia team fostered a strong partnership with the national government by contributing to discussions on policies related to sustainable palm oil production. A significant achievement was the publication of a highly influential journal article on oil palm economic development and environmental conservation in Indonesia (Purnomo et al., 2020), which became the most downloaded article in Forest Policy and Economics that year. The work garnered extensive attention, including interviews, visits from the World Bank and presentations to senior government officials.
The lead author was subsequently invited to consult with the Office of the President of Indonesia on the implications of these findings, particularly in relation to the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR). Additionally, a comprehensive review of the social and ecosystem impacts of palm oil production (Ayompe et al., 2021) has become a highly cited document and informed further research.
Smallholder typology: re-defining “small” to promote more effective policy
A “smallholder” is defined as someone who manages less than 25 hectares of land according to Indonesian law. This broad definition does not account for the diversity and granularity of smallholder types and the different issues faced by each type. Our researchers from CIFOR-ICRAF Indonesia led the development of a smallholder typology, defining six categories of smallholder. They found that, though a permit is required for over 25 hectares of land, there are farmers with up to 100 hectares of land without a permit who are defined as smallholders.
The team developed the typology into an accessible and visually attractive infographic to clearly communicate findings to officials and act as a “typology handbook”. Alongside this, they developed a new definition of “smallholder” as a farmer owning and managing equal to or less than 6 hectares of land. This definition has helped researchers to focus technical assistance and capacity building for smaller farmers. This is particularly relevant as such farmers are the ones who face the toughest challenges when having to comply with sustainability standards and when needing to obtain certification.
Science-based decision making for sustainable palm oil strategy and Global Green Trade Initiatives
Our team, in collaboration with Jikalahari, contributed to the renewal of the Sustainable Palm Oil Regency Action Plan for Pelalawan Regency, Riau. Using a participative approach, we developed a policy recommendation document that included baseline study results, a value chain system dynamic simulation and a recommendation matrix (Purnomo et al., 2022). This document was officially handed over to the Pelalawan district government in January 2024.
A big data and media analysis study that we conducted identified the social network and power analysis in Indonesia’s palm oil, coffee and wildlife trade. This is improving governance towards sustainable trade (Puspitaloka, 2022).
Over five years, our team in Indonesia, led by CIFOR and partners, implemented several science-policy interface events, including three high-level policy dialogues, a roundtable discussion, and a national-level sustainable palm oil roadmap workshop. They aimed to build stakeholder understanding of global green trade initiatives and bridge national policies with these initiatives, such as the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free products.
These events provided a platform for national stakeholders—including government agencies, civil society organizations, smallholder and business associations, and academia—to engage with international representatives, such as foreign government agencies and the International Trade Center. The main outcome was the launch in March 2024 of a national roadmap for sustainable palm oil trade entitled: Pathways for sustainable palm oil trade: addressing global green trade initiatives and the climate crisis in Indonesia. This roadmap aimed to inform the renewal of the National Action Plan on Sustainable Palm Oil in Indonesia (Rencana Aksi Nasional Kelapa Sawit Berkelanjutan), which concluded in 2024.
The significance of these efforts was underscored in November 2023 when CIFOR scientists, leading our activities in Indonesia, were invited to a high-level meeting organized by the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Indonesia. They presented research findings and strategies to address the implementation of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free products, particularly for the palm oil sector.
Through these collaborative efforts, we were able to work with CIFOR to drive sustainable transformation in Indonesia's palm oil industry, ensuring that local and national policies align with global sustainability standards.
Cameroon: Evaluating Certification for Smallholders
The Cameroon team critically assessed the role of certification in the oil palm sector revealing that, while certification can offer some benefits to smallholders, the high costs of entry and limited additional advantages are insufficient to lift farmers out of poverty. This insight underscored the need for more accessible and impactful support mechanisms for smallholders.
Strategic Investments for Sustainable Production
Our project provided science-based recommendations for investing in integrated approaches to support sustainable smallholder and large-scale production in forested landscapes at high risk of conversion. These recommendations aimed to balance economic development with environmental conservation, ensuring that both smallholders and larger producers can thrive sustainably.
Influencing Policy and Practice
OikoCredit integrated our recommendations from the review of risks and opportunities in smallholder oil palm production into their Oil Palm policy. These recommendations, drawn from an interactive stakeholder consultation workshop held in 2022, will be detailed in an anonymized report to be released as a standalone TRADE Hub output. The report will aim to reach a broader audience, further influencing practices in the sector. Additionally, elements of our review have been expanded to cover other vegetable oils, contributing to the IUCN report on "The Future of Vegetable Oils," which has garnered significant attention.
Supporting National Land Use Planning in the Congo Basin
The Cameroon team drove sustainable practices in the oil palm sector by influencing policy, supporting smallholders and promoting sustainable development in forested landscapes. For example, they assessed the potential for future oil palm occurrence in the Congo Basin to better inform sustainable land use decisions.