VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Government of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are strengthening cooperation in the palm oil sector by adapting and mitigating the effects of climate change. The cooperation is stated in the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Palm Oil Production Cooperation, which was signed in New York, the United States of America on September 26, 2019. The signing of the MoU was followed-up with a technical arrangement and the establishment of the Bilateral Economic Commission as a forum for dialogue between the two countries. This was stated by the Deputy for Food and Agribusiness Coordination, at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Musdhalifah Machmud in an official statement received by Antara, Tuesday(9/11). Musdhalifah Machmud said that the dialogue platform of both countries can prove to the international world that cooperation between consuming countries and palm oil producing countries is well-connected.

She further explained that the cooperation is established to support economic development in rural areas with the target of smallholders and communities around oil palm plantations. The method is to ensure the increase in the sustainability of agricultural commodities, including palm oil and protect the ecosystem of Indonesia's natural resources, such as forest and peat. The cooperation is carried out by establishing the National Initiatives for Sustainable and Climate Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NI-SCOPS). The NI-SCOPS activities are carried out in four provinces in Indonesia with implementing partners, namely the Indonesia Distribution Hub (IDH) for Aceh and North Sumatra and Solidarity for West Kalimantan and East Kalimantan.