Doppa: Greater certainty for oil palm smallholders in Sarawak

MIRI (Dec 30): Oil palm smallholders in Sarawak could look forward to greater certainty and better fresh fruit bunch (FFB) prices next year, said Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (Doppa) president Napolean R Ningkos.

Last month, Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Sarawak Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said his ministry would continue to work closely with the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities and the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) towards appealing to the European Union (EU) to grant special exemption to Native Customary Rights (NCR) land so as to not deprive the indigenous community the opportunity to uplift their livelihood and wellbeing.

A stumbling block to develop NCR lands in the state, the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) would not only affect oil palm but also other major crops such as rubber, cocoa, coffee, soya and wood, as well as livestock such as cattle, and also products derived from these commodities.

“There have been many challenges faced in 2023, and we trust that with MSPO (Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification Scheme)’s acceptance by Japan, China and India, these would continue to stabilise the prices next year,” Napoleon told The Borneo Post when asked about his view on the outlook for Sarawak smallholders of this industry in 2024, and the challenges that might lie ahead.

According to him, Doppa currently has over 2,500 members, but it is also representing more than 42,000 independent smallholders in Sarawak.

Napoleon also spoke about Doppa having entered a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Solidaridad Network (Malaysia) in 2023, under which it would continue with the National Initiatives for Sustainable and Climate Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NiSCOPS) program where smallholders would be exposed to climate and environment awareness and ‘Good Agricultural Practice’ (GAP), as well as putting all smallholders under the traceability system based on the collaboration with DIBIZ Malaysia.

“The state government had commended Doppa’s involvement in helping smallholder farmers in Sarawak, particularly its initiative of increasing its members’ knowledge and management of palm oil plantations.”

Among the challenges faced by smallholders in Sarawak included those relating to the EUDR, the state and central government incentives and application conditions.

“Doppa was in the forefront last year in fighting for the rights of native planters in Sarawak to be recognised by the European Union in developing the implementation guidelines of EUDR.”

Napoleon also attended a session with members of the European Parliament, Heidi Hautala and Christophe Hansen in Brussels, where he highlighted the Dayaks’ right to develop their ancestral land as approved by the Sarawak government under the Native Territorial Domain (NTD) of Sarawak Land Code.

The Malaysian government has made the participation mandatory for all planters to obtain the certification of small and medium palm oil plantations under the MSPO, which would also include the smallholders.