TAWAU: Twenty-five members of the Koperasi Landskap Kelapa Sawit Sabah Bhd (LKSS) have recently completed the phase of their journey towards sustainability.
Based on the audits, these smallholders were awarded a Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certificate.
LKSS is the first growers' cooperative in Malaysia to receive the certification for the RSPO Independent Smallholder Standard (RISS) Eligibility Phase under the group certification scheme.
With the certification, smallholders can get an immediate 40 per cent premium through selling RSPO credit before being fully accredited and subsequently a full premium price upon completing all its milestones.
RSPO certification allows smallholders to earn additional revenue through RSPO credit sales, contribute to sustainable palm oil production, and align with global sustainability standards.
These benefits not only support the economic well-being of smallholders but also contribute to environmental conservation and the social welfare of local communities.
Established in 2019, LKSS was formed with support from a non-governmental organisation WWF-Malaysia.
It aims to engage and assist medium-sized growers and smallholders in preparing for group certification under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) and RSPO certification standards for the Tawau-Kunak Landscape.
It has now grown to over 380 members comprising 300 smallholders and 80 medium-sized growers with a cumulative land area of about 16,000 hectares.
LKSS chairman Shim Nyuk Min hoped more members would follow in the footsteps of these 25 smallholders.
"Our sustainability team will continue to support these 25 smallholders to prepare them for the next phase," he said in a statement.
Sabah WWF-Malaysia's Head of Conservation Dr Robecca Jumin said it was a significant milestone for LKSS, and they deserved commendation.
"We are eager to see what the future holds for them and will continue to support them in their sustainability journey,"
Since the formation of LKSS, WWF-Malaysia, through its Sustainable Palm Oil Team (SPOT), has facilitated two other growers' cooperatives, namely Koperasi Lestari Penanam Sawit Sabah Bhd (KLASS) and Koperasi Pekebun Kecil dan Sederhana Sawit Lestari Sabah Bhd (KO-SALESA).
KLASS and KO-SALESA consist of 50 and 37 smallholders, respectively, covering a total land area of roughly 1,300 hectares in the Tabin and Sandakan areas.
Like LKSS, both cooperatives will assist medium-sized growers and smallholders in preparing for group certification for both MSPO and RSPO.
The initiative also aligns with the Sabah State government's commitment to 30 per cent Totally Protected Areas (TPA) and 100 per cent RSPO certification of palm oil by 2025 as part of a jurisdictional approach to sustainable development.
Under WWF-Malaysia's Sabah Landscapes Programme, SPOT aims to support 450 small and medium-sized growers in three priority landscapes, namely Tawau-Kunak, Tabin and Lower Sugut, covering 45,000 hectares to produce RSPO-certified palm oil by 2025.
Based on the living landscape's three pillars of Protect, Produce, Restore, the Sabah Landscapes Programme combines both conservation and sustainable development by integrating the protection of forests, wildlife and rivers with RSPO-certified production of oil palm and restoration of ecological corridors and riparian reserves.