Call for Expression of Interest – Study on Certification Cost Structures and Independent Smallholder Inclusion

Sustainability certification has played a central role in promoting improved environmental, social, and governance practices across agricultural commodity sectors. However, despite its proven relevance, certification uptake among independent smallholders remains limited and uneven. This is of particular concern given that independent smallholders account for approximately 40% of production and land use in major producing countries.

While previous research has examined the costs and benefits of certification for smallholders, much of this work has focused on project-level interventions or short-term financial outcomes. Less attention has been given to how certification cost structures function as systemic features that influence inclusion, persistence, and scalability at the national level. For independent smallholders, who often face upfront costs while benefits materialise over the medium to long term, certification increasingly reflects a challenge that limits participation and long-term growth.

Recognising the need to move beyond individual profitability assessments, this study places certification cost at the centre of analysis, not as a static technical requirement, but as a system-design variable with direct implications for inclusion, scalability, and long-term growth of certified independent smallholders at the country level.

Following this, RSPO is seeking to commission a comprehensive study to understand the following question:

“How must certification systems be designed and financed so that independent smallholders can participate at scale without being structurally excluded by cost?”

Against this background, RSPO is inviting interested individuals and/or organisations to conduct this study. Interested applicants are advised to read the attached Terms of Reference (ToR) and submit a proposal along with their profile/curriculum vitae to [email protected] on or before 6:00 PM MYT (GMT+8 ), on 16 March 2026.For any enquiries relating to this tender, please contact Guntur Cahyo Prabowo (RSPO Head of Smallholders) at [email protected] and/or Cheryl Ong (RSPO Senior Manager, Research and Knowledge Management) at [email protected].