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More than 3 million smallholders and small-scale farmers make a living from palm oil globally. While their farmlands are small compared to industrial plantations, smallholders account for about 40% of total global palm oil production, making smallholders significant contributors towards a sustainable oil palm industry. They often have to cope with inadequate information and knowledge in growing palms and selling oil, while their yields are also typically relatively low.
Smallholders are farmers who grow oil palm, alongside with subsistence crops, where the family provides the majority of labour and the farm provides the principal source of income, and the planted oil palm area are is less than 50 hectares.
RSPO certification helps smallholders increase yields, penetrate international markets, improve their livelihoods, and reduce the risk of land conversion. Certification is a symbol of credibility and proof of sustainable practice in operations.
Watch this video in Spanish, Thai, Indonesian, Bahasa Melayu
For smallholders, certification can be a complicated exercise, requiring funding, training, and guidance. This is why the RSPO Smallholder Support Fund (RSSF) has been established to aid smallholders through the process.
Independent Smallholders
11,930
Scheme Smallholders
151,282
Total Smallholders
163,212
Independent Smallholders Certified Production Area (ha)
40,722
Scheme Smallholders Certified Production Area (ha)
360,854
Total Smallholders Certified Area (ha)
449,720
Independent Smallholders FFB Certified (mt)
757,106
Scheme Smallholders FFB Certified (mt)
7,070,156
Total Smallholders FFB Certified (mt)
7,827,262
Total Global Certified Area (ha)
4,402,316
Total SH CSPO (based on 20% OER)
1,565,452
% Total SH Certified Area (against global certified area) ha
10.22%
No. of Certified Independent Smallholder Groups
41
Average Yield (FBB mt/ha/yr)
19.49
Total Global Certified CSPO (mt)
17,303,017
% of SH CSPO (against global certified volume) mt
9.05%
A peek into the lives of Narno and his family under Amanah has not only transformed his life but other smallholders as well.
Get to know Rusman, a member of smallholder association Amanah in Sumatra, who thrives as a successful smallholder.
A farmer from Java, Bachrun, recalls how joining Amanah has brought him and his family a brighter future.
Listen to Jose’s personal interview on how RSPO have transformed his life. Jose attended the EU RT 2016 in Milan recently to share his experience and challenges as a smallholder in Honduras.
Up Close & Personal with Jose at the Smallholders Panel session. The panel session, with representatives from Ghana, Honduras and Malaysia, zooms in on the smallholders’ realities.
MoJo Velo Project created a short documentary on RSSF-supported Seed Change Tanzania. It shows how its high-yielding oil palm trees are putting smallholder farmers on the path out of poverty while protecting the Western Tanzanian environment.