More efforts to engage owners of small plantations
At the Kuala Lumpur conference, attention also focused on the need to help owners of small
plantations ('smallholders') follow criteria set by the RSPO and getting their oil certified.
The RSPO is developing criteria for associated smallholders and will begin work on those for
independent smallholders. At the conference, results on the first pilot studies among smallholders in
Malaysia and Indonesia were presented.
YB Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, the Malaysian Minister of Plantation Industries & Commodities, reminded
the conference of the need to take smallholders on board. The Malaysian government pledged MYR
50 million ($15 million) to help smallholders move towards sustainable practices. The RSPO itself will
investigate how proceeds from trade in sustainable palm oil can be used to facilitate certification of
