Wilmar provides meaningful support for sustainable oil palm plantations in Siak District, Riau Province, through its participation in the Private Sector Coalition for Siak Hijau (KPSSH) formed in September 2019. Since becoming a member of KPSSH in 2020, Wilmar has been active in supporting this initiative.
KPSSH is a forum for the private sector to support the implementation of the Green Siak Landscape Policy (LSH), especially in strengthening coordination and synergy between programs aimed at achieving LSH through a jurisdictional approach.
Wilmar has an important role to play in supporting and driving the achievement of LSH, especially in increasing the capacity of independent smallholders and assisting them in implementing best plantation management practices and achieving Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification.
The company has also implemented independent smallholder empowerment programs in several regions, including Jambi, North Sumatra, and West Kalimantan. So far, Wilmar has partnered with 14 independent smallholder groups, involving 5,760 members with a total area of 12,584 hectares. Of the total, nine groups have successfully obtained ISPO certificates, covering a plantation area of 8,992 hectares managed by 3,707 farmers.
According to Pujuh Kurniawan, Head of Sustainability Wilmar Indonesia, since being involved in the empowerment program of independent smallholders in Siak, Wilmar has collaborated with five cooperatives involving around 1,500 farmer members with a total plantation area of 2,500 hectares. Two cooperatives have successfully obtained ISPO certification since 2019, two others are in the process of completing ISPO certification in early 2024, and one more cooperative is in the process of preparing for ISPO certification. This program is run by Wilmar together with various parties in Siak Regency, including PT Permodalan Siak (Persi), the Plantation Office, and other relevant agencies.
KPSSH and the Siak Hijau Secretariat expect wider contributions from stakeholders in Siak Regency to realize the goals of LSH. Therefore, on March 7, 2024, a Siak Hijau synergy workshop with the theme of multi-stakeholder collaboration will be held in Siak. Through this workshop, KPSSH and Siak Hijau Secretariat provided important understanding about the sustainable palm oil industry, especially the achievement of ISPO certification.
Wilmar’s involvement in this program confirms the company’s commitment to provide a positive economic impact for the people of Siak, and shows the synergy between the company’s program and government policy. It also strengthens Wilmar’s role in supporting KPSSH to achieve its LSH objectives.
Therefore, on March 7, 2024, a Siak Hijau synergy workshop with the theme of multi-stakeholder collaboration to support sustainable oil palm plantations in the Siak Hijau Landscape will be held in Siak. Through the workshop, KPSSH and Siak Hijau Secretariat provided an overview of the importance of a sustainable palm oil industry, one of which is achieving ISPO certificate.
The activity was managed by EcoNusantara in collaboration with KPSSH and supported by Wilmar, followed by parties in the implementation of LSH, especially those related to sustainable palm oil development. Sudarsono Soedomo, one of the speakers from Bogor Agricultural University, conveyed the importance of a sustainable people’s economy.
Rismansyah Danasaputra, a resource person from the Forum for Sustainable Strategic Plantation Development (FP2SB), explained the ISPO certification process for independent smallholders. Other resource persons from PT Persi and partner non-governmental cooperatives from Wilmar, who shared their experiences in achieving ISPO certification.
In general, areas of plantation, forestry, and mining zones, there are private sector parties who play an important role in economic development. In a landscape based jurisdictional approach, forestry- and plantation-based private sectors play a role in developing the community’s economy, even outside the zone itself.
Source: https://investor.id/business/357405/strategi-wilmar-dukung-sawit-berkelanjutan-di-siak
