PT Sawit Sumbermas Sarana Tbk (SSMS) is committed to building oil palm plantations based on sustainable principles and criteria. Not only being an environmentally friendly oil palm plantation, SSMS also supports self-help planters to implement sustainable palm oil practices through the RSPO Smallholder certification assistance program (planters). self-help).
After successfully accompanying the Association of Independent Palm Oil Farmers (APKSM) to obtain RSPO certification in 2019, now SSMS targets to accompany Mekar Mulya Village Planters to obtain certification in 2019. 2022.
Head of Division Sustainability SSMS Henky Satrio, said that currently the assistance of Mekar Mulya Village Planters is only the initial stage. "The facilitator team from SSMS has moved to socialize. Because it is still in a pandemic condition so socialization is carried out within the scope of RT (neighboring pillars) to avoid crowds". According to Henky, this socialization is very important considering that planters who have never participated in a certification program need to get a sufficient understanding of the benefits of following the certification program. "Because the majority of self-help planters still lack knowledge about environmentally friendly palm oil plantation management practices, therefore the company tries to embrace them (planters) to follow this certification", he added.
In socialization is also conveyed about the institution as a container for planters to take care of certification, because certification must be done collectively rather than taken care of by each planter.
Meanwhile, Poniman (40) representative of self-help planter Mekar Mulya Village welcomed the socialization of the RSPO certification program from the company, “we are very enthusiastic to follow this certification program. Many benefits will be received for example international certification and getting a premium from the sale of certified palm oil. "Another advantage of the program offered, the company will also provide training for the improvement of planter skills, funding assistance for infrastructure development (fertilizer warehouses), waste warehouses and washing houses rinse APD), the provision of personal protective equipment (APD), first aid equipment and dammar facilities and infrastructure," he added.
This early stage certification, SSMS targets the area of the garden to be certified to reach 700 hectares with the number of planters ± 100 people.