Members' Project Malaysia
THE FONAP PROJECT PHASES – OVERVIEW
Cooperation with Wild Asia and WWF
Through various measures, the members organised in FONAP actively support the promotion of more ecologically and socially compatible cultivation methods in the countries of origin. The focus of 2018 was the start of the FONAP members’ project in Malaysia, a cooperation between FONAP and WWF Germany and Wild Asia. In the Perak region, smallholders tested the feasibility of the FONAP additional criteria, including, for example, the reduced use of plant protection products.
The Malaysian non-governmental organisation Wild Asia has extensive training expertise in more ecologically and socially compatible palm oil cultivation and at that time cooperated with 335 smallholders. The Wild Asia Group Scheme (WAGS) was founded in 2012. Under this programme, Wild Asia works with independent smallholders to help them improve their agricultural practices and comply with national and international
standards (such as the legally regulated Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) and Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)). A smallholder is anyone with less than 40 hectares of cultivated land. WAGS is also a community development initiative that aims to improve smallholders’ livelihoods by increasing yields and ensuring access to the international market for certified palm oil.
THE FIRST PHASE OF OUR SMALLHOLDER PROJECT
Testing the FONAP additional criteria
Project phase I
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When
July 2018 to June 2019
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Who
FONAP cooperation with WWF and Wild Asia (Malaysia)
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Where
Perak region/Malaysia
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What
A dozen smallholders test the applicability and practical feasibility of the FONAP additional criteria
Die FONAP-WWF-Wild Asia Kooperation
Impact of the FONAP Add-on Criteria on Small Producers in Malaysia” – This was the title of Phase I of our first pilot project in Malaysia. A cooperation between FONAP and WWF Germany and the non-governmental organisation Wild Asia. All FONAP members provided financial support for the first phase.
In 2017, FONAP developed additional criteria for more ecologically and socially compatible palm oil production. These include less use of plant protection products and better soil fertility. In one part of the project, smallholders from the Perak/Malaysia region tested the applicability and practical feasibility of the FONAP additional criteria on their smallholdings. The first phase ran from July 2018 to July 2019. During the project period, our cooperation partner Wild Asia trained and monitored the smallholders.
The most important results of Phase 1:
The FONAP smallholder project helped the smallholders involved to develop a better understanding of the importance of biodiversity on and in their soils. The smallholders have shown that organic production without the use of plant protection products is possible and can even deliver higher yields. Initial evidence was also gathered that diversifying cultivation can have a positive effect on soil fertility and income. In this way, dependence on synthetic fertiliser/plant protection products can be reduced and the path to organic production paved in the medium to long term.
Smallholders involved
What do the smallholders say about the first project phase?
Here you will meet four of the plantation owners involved.
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This pesky adversary is barely a centimetre tall. “I try to keep my farm as free of pesticides as possible. I have always avoided chemicals. Not least for my health!” Mr Chong has been working sustainably for a long time, not only since he became RSPO-certified. -
Mr Chong’s small farm is mixed forest through and through. He plants flowers, which in turn attract ground beetles. Ground beetles are the greatest enemies of the bagworm caterpillar. Bananas, pineapples, sugar cane – even Chinese medicinal herbs – also grow on his land. He thus gets the maximum out of his 1.6 hectares while at the same time providing more biodiversity. -
I am grateful for the training from Wild Asia, which has helped to deepen my knowledge of oil palm cultivation. -
Five years ago, Mr Chong decided to give up rubber cultivation and switch to palm oil. Why? Because it is difficult to find farm workers in this region, says the 57-year-old: “Rubber has to be tapped every day. That is very labour-intensive. Palm oil, on the other hand, is ideal. We only harvest every 20 to 25 days!”
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Mrs Dongkin is proud of her harvest record: in the best season she harvests around 20 tonnes of fruit bunches a year. In the poor season it is still around 16 tonnes. “It is hard work – you go out very early in the morning and come back late in the evening. My children have not yet indicated whether they want to take that on.” But Mrs Ramnumkin’s biggest problem is paying the farm workers, because even smallholders need help with the physically demanding harvest. -
Through my collaboration with Wild Asia I have received technical support on the correct handling of chemicals and the application of fertilisers. I spray less now. That is also more cost-effective. I draw a positive balance. -
The farmer Herzuza Dongkin manages five hectares of oil palm forest. The 38-year-old’s medium-term goal is RSPO certification. “I used to think weeds were bad. That is why I sprayed a lot of pesticides. But Wild Asia convinced me that it is good if the soil around the palms is covered with vegetation. It retains moisture, for example.” -
Since she started working with Wild Asia, she has largely dispensed with pesticides. That benefits not only the oil palm – but also the fish! She sets fish traps in the irrigation channels. She uses oil palm fruits as bait. “Fishing saves us money! We also grow all kinds of vegetables here. So we can eat healthily even though we earn less than 2000 RM* a month.” *Equivalent to approx. 440 euros -
Mrs Dongkin has been running her farm for ten years. When she started 10 years ago, she found an overgrown plantation. Her predecessors tried rice, the next ones rubber. “We had to do everything by hand: chopping back the undergrowth and digging channels. We had no money for machines.” But the work paid off. Besides house and farm, her family is her greatest treasure. And there is fresh fish almost every day.
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Neoh Ah Sang visits his two oil palm plantations by moped. He inherited them from his mother. The plantations are his only livelihood. “When things go well, I earn around 1500 RM* a month. But I never fall below the 1000 RM mark. That is good!” Mr Neoh also avoids pesticides. To combat the bagworm caterpillar, he has sown lawn grass everywhere. “The caterpillar mainly appears in dry conditions. The grass keeps the soil moist and the parasite stays away. Above all I have to make sure my lawnmower is working properly.” *Equivalent to approx. 320 euros -
With the help of Wild Asia, the 47-year-old is learning new fertilisation methods. On his second plantation, Mr Neoh has been experimenting with natural fertiliser for several months: a mixture of fibres and animal manure. Mr Sang also buys an organic fertiliser. “Since I started using it, my harvest has doubled over the last four months.” -
The only fly in the ointment, according to Neoh Ah Sang: “A 10-litre canister costs 168 RM*. That is my biggest cost item. But as my soil keeps improving, I need less and less of the canisters.” Until two years ago I only used synthetic fertiliser. At that time I was bringing in around two tonnes of fruit bunches a month. In addition, the trees kept dying. Now I average 4 tonnes, sometimes even 7 tonnes a month. Experimenting pays off!” *Equivalent to approx. 36 euros -
Mr Neoh is aiming for RSPO certification. On the one hand, he can save money with effective cultivation methods. What particularly appeals to him, however: “I want the RSPO certificate because there is great demand. Buyers want sustainable goods!” -
I have not only reduced production costs by around 30%, but my yields have also risen to an average of 4 tonnes per hectare, compared with 1 to 2 tonnes in recent years. My soils are healthier now – for example, the leaves are large and bright green.
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Tiam Su Goi helps her husband on the family oil palm plantation. The 46-year-old keeps watch over the figures in the Tiam household. She keeps the farm’s books. From production figures through to expenditure on fertiliser. -
Like the other smallholders in the Perak region, Mrs Tiam has to contend first and foremost with the bagworm caterpillar. “It is really difficult to control. We have sown lawn grass and use chemicals when the infestation is very severe.” For fertilisation she is now trying something new, and she always keeps health in view. Wild Asia staff member Izzaty Ibrahim gave her the idea. -
What may not look very appetising at first could further improve Mrs Tiam’s production. And it is 100 percent organic. A compost made from fruit enzymes. “We’ll just try it out from next month. We can’t go wrong here – it’s organic,” says Mrs Tiam. -
For Tiam Su Goi, a healthy environment is a must. “For me it is not okay to use so many chemicals. It is not primarily about saving costs. Rather, we have to look after our nature – otherwise it will only get worse. We also bear responsibility for future generations.” -
Through Wild Asia I have received technical support on soil care, applying fertilisers and the correct handling of chemicals. I have also learned new methods such as composting, which I use for my plants around the house, which I think is good!
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More InformationThe second phase of our pilot project
Natural cultivation methods and digital technology
Project phase II
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When
December 2019 to March 2021
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Who
FONAP cooperation with WWF and Wild Asia (Malaysia)
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Where
Perak region/Malaysia
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What
Promotion of chemical-free production – support for practical demonstration farms
Transparente Lieferketten – PalmoilTrace – FarmGate App
In December 2019, the second phase of the FONAP members’ project started in the Perak region of Malaysia, again in cooperation with WWF Germany and Wild Asia. The focus was on chemical-free production, training on demonstration farms and the use of digital tools such as the FarmGate app for traceability. Initial results from phase one showed that biodiversity in the soil, organic cultivation methods and crop diversification could increase yields and pave the way for integrated cultivation (production of organic fertiliser, for example, and as far as possible the complete abandonment of chemically synthetic plant protection products).
Cultivation methods with natural enemies
Phase 2 of our project also built on the experience of the first round. The smallholders received further training in alternative cultivation methods such as the use of organic fertilisers. Demonstration plots are being set up on plantations for training purposes. Wasps, rather than plant protection products, are now tackling the pests.
INTERVIEW
Project manager Dr. Reza Azmi (Wild Asia) on our FONAP project
Findings of the 1st phase – Dr. Reza Azmi – Forum for Sustainable Palm Oil
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More InformationThe importance of the PalmoilTrace FarmGate App for the palm oil supply chain
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More InformationDr. Reza Azmi’s expectations of the 2nd project phase – Forum for Sustainable Palm Oil
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More Information