RIMBA HARAPAN: INDEPENDENT SMALLHOLDERS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
On October 5, 2022, 74 independent smallholders in the Rimba Harapan Production Cooperative located in Sintang, West Kalimantan, obtained Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification. The journey to certification has been full of ups and downs for the farmers as they learn to implement best management practices for sustainable palm oil farming.
The initiative was supported by WWF-Indonesia, PT Bank HSBC Indonesia, and HSBC Asian Sustainable Palm Oil Links (ASPOL) in collaboration with the Sintang government. WWF-Indonesia is collaborating with Rimba Harapan Production Cooperative to adhere to the three pillars of sustainability: people, planet, and profit. The independent smallholders have spent the last eight years meeting the environmental, social, and economic requirements for sustainable oil palm plantation management.
In the process, Rimba Harapan Production Cooperative has become a Learning Center for other smallholders in the region, where knowledge is exchanged through collaborative or guyub (shared) learning methods and spread by word of mouth.
The smallholders have partnered with palm oil mill PT Sintang Agro Mandiri to sell and process their Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) harvest and obtain agricultural materials such as certified seeds, fertilizers, and herbicides. Not only did Rimba Harapan obtain RSPO certification, they also worked with the Merarai Satu Village Government in Sungai Tebelian District to identify and manage an 18-hectare High Conservation Value Area (HCVA) in Merarai Satu Village. In addition, Rimba Harapan Production Cooperative has developed alternative commodities to oil palm, namely shallots and chili to increase income.
Currently, there are 74 farmers in Rimba Harapan Production Cooperative, which is a relatively low number. As a result, the cooperative is in the process of recruiting more farmers to optimize profits and make production more cost-effective.