The Civil Society Coordination Forum (FKMS)  suggest on the Government to improving the ISPO immediately and fix the substance of the draft Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on the Sustainable Palm Oil Certification System (ISPO) and improve its drafting process to be more transparent and participatory before the draft regulation was passed. FKMS considers that the draft Perpres regarding the mandatory certification system is still inadequate to improve oil palm governance, save the environment and fulfill human rights and ensure market acceptance.

FMKS, which has 40 civil society organizations that focus on the issue of oil palm in Indonesia, appreciates the Government’s efforts to improve the ISPO certification system and is directly involved in providing input. “A number of inputs were conveyed to the Government, to ensure that the certification system in progress was credible and well received, including the drafting process carried out transparently and participatively, strong ISPO standards (principles and criteria), the certification process was carried out credibly and transparently “and the mechanism for submitting and resolving complaints that can be accepted by the parties,” said Sri Palupi from the Institute for Ecosoc Right.

Okto Yugo Setiyo from Jikalahari added, “Destruction of uncontrolled natural forests and peatlands for conversion to oil palm plantations must be stopped, so it is important to ensure the principle of protection of natural forests, peatlands and biodiversity is adopted in the ISPO standard.”

Marcel Andri from the Palm Oil Farmers Union also added, “The implementation of the ISPO certification system must be accompanied by various efforts to provide solutions to the problems faced by independent smallholders that have not been touched by Government policies. In addition, providing incentives or guarantee of benefits can also encourage independent smallholders to participate in ISPO certification. ”

In addition to the discussion and drafting process that has become increasingly closed since the end of 2017, the FKMS assessed that the latest Perpres draft has eliminated some of the crucial substances needed to ensure a credible sustainable palm oil certification system.

“Arrangements regarding independent monitoring of the ISPO certification system have been removed, as well as arrangements regarding the submission and resolution of the parties’ complaints on the certification results. Obviously this has a very bad impact on the credibility of the ISPO certification system. “Demikan said Dhio Teguh Ferdyan from the Forestry Independent Monitoring Network (JPIK).

“Our observations in West Kalimantan show that ISPO certified companies are still carrying out various violations of the ISPO standard. Because the ISPO standards are based on legislation, such discrepancies must be dealt with. Unfortunately, the draft regulation does not regulate law enforcement against findings of nonconformities which constitute the violation. ” added Agus Sutomo from Link-AR Borneo.

In the draft Perpres on the ISPO certification system, the Ministry of Agriculture was only given 90 days to develop standards and various regulations for implementing the certification system, which FKMS assessed were very limited to producing quality regulations, fearing this would hamper the implementation of the ISPO certification system.

“Before it was ratified, the Government must immediately improve the substance of the draft Presidential Regulation on the ISPO certification system and improve the process of formulating this policy to be transparent, inclusive and accountable. Because we believe that only this way the ISPO certification system can truly be strengthened and will produce a credible, robust, accountable and accepted certification system for all stakeholders in Indonesia and also the global market. “Tandas Abu Meridian from Kaoem Telapak who is also a FKMS coordinator.

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