Improving the Livelihoods of Palm Smallholders, Indonesia

Between 2020 and 2022, we worked with the Louis Dreyfus Foundation and SNV on a project to improve the livelihoods of palm oil smallholders in Mesuji, Lampung, and Oku, South Sumatra.

Over the course of the project, approximately 2,000 Indonesian smallholders received training in best management practices (BMP).

The project also provided financial assessments to help individual participants apply for replanting loan schemes moving forward, and supported two cooperatives – one in each region – to attain Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification.

Cooperative members benefit financially from being able to trade as RSPO-certified, and adherence to RSPO standards helps ensure the environmental sustainability of palm oil farming in the area.

Moving forward, all new cooperative members will be trained by their peers in BMP and RSPO Principles and Criteria, and each cooperative plans to develop a business unit to provide agricultural inputs for smallholder members.

Our Impact

Beneficiaries: 2,000

Certified cooperatives: 2 (representing 500 farmers)

Average farm productivity increase: 12%

Financial assessments complete: 1,000