Koperasi Pekebun Kecil dan Sederhana Sawit Lestari Sabah Berhad (KO-SALESA)

In October 2015, the Sabah State Cabinet passed a policy that all palm oil production in Sabah need to achieve Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Certification by 2025. Forever Sabah therefore embarked on a process to engage and organise independent smallholders in twenty villages in the pilot districts of Telupid, Tongod, Beluran, and Kinabatangan (TTBK) to assess their readiness for the certification process. Besides promoting productivity while reducing negative environmental and social impacts in the state of Sabah, the key needs identified are Good Management Practices (GMP), training and support, as well as access to the local and international markets.

KOSALESA cooperative facilitated by WWF-Malaysia’s Sustainable Palm Oil Team (SPOT). KO-SALESA consist 37 smallholders (and KLASS with 50 smallholders)  respectively, covering a combined total land area of roughly 1,300 hectares in the Tabin and Sandakan landscapes. Koperasi Pekebun Kecil dan Sederhana Sawit Lestari Sabah Berhad also aims to engage and assist growers in preparing for group certification under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) and Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification standards. Both certification standards, among others, require oil palm plantations to preserve riparian reserves, avoid development on steep slopes and prevent encroachment on protected areas. Good agricultural practices and respecting human rights are also required towards stopping deforestation and ensuring no exploitation of people in the production of sustainable palm oil.

Total area covered by the project
204.63 Ha

Number of smallholders benefitting from this project
31 Smallholders

Number/percentage of women supported by this project
74.19% women in this project

We are currently working closely with RSPO Certified Independent Smallholders across provinces in Indonesia to provide a subset of trainings to improve their livelihoods while their certification is maintained.

More than 5,860 farmers who have implemented Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and good governance in their groups are seeking your commitment to buy their RSPO Credits through the PalmTrace platforms. Purchasing RSPO Credits supports smallholders in addressing environmental and social issues.

Representative Contact
Freddie Bin Benjamin | Head of KO-SALESA | [email protected] | +60148568595

Representative Contact

Norbert John | Group Organizer +60168277292 | [email protected] | https://www.wwf.org.my/sabahlandscapes/our_work/pillars/

WWF Malaysia