National Initiatives
for Sustainable & Climate Smart
Oil Palm Smallholders
(NISCOPS)

About the project

Millions of smallholders and workers earn their livelihoods in the palm oil sector, a sector that significantly contributes to food security, employment, gross domestic product (GDP) and trade balance in many producing countries. The global expansion of this sector is associated with significant sustainability challenges. The impact of palm oil production on changes to land use and greenhouse gas emissions is giving rise to tensions between exporting and importing countries. Further polarisation of this debate or a radical boycott of palm oil does not solve the problem. The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) and Solidaridad believe there is a solution. Together, they have designed a new way to enable countries producing palm oil to notably contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, whilst also improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and workers. This includes scaling solutions for two potential risks related to the EU regulation on Deforestation-free commodities, namely segregation of the palm-oil supply chain at the expense of smallholder farmers in countries deemed to be high risk, and further leakage of deforestation to other consuming markets. With support from the Government of the Netherlands, five National Initiatives for Sustainable Climate Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NISCOPS) are being implemented in cooperation with the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, Colombia, Ghana and Nigeria.

Countries of Implementation

Overarching Aim

To demonstrate that the palm oil sector can contribute to the SDGs and climate ambitions of the Paris Agreement, whilst also improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and workers. Palm oil-producing landscapes will become more economically robust and socially just, while protecting and restoring valuable natural resources. This, in turn, will lead to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture and land-use change. NISCOPS will strengthen existing partnerships and build new partnerships with national and subnational governments, reporting transparently on progress in each producing country.

Partners

Region:

(Lower) Kafue Catchment Ecosystem

Target group:

Farmers and community forest management groups

Key activities:
  • Support community forest management groups in the
    sustainable management of natural resources and livelihood creation
  • Support farmers to produce soy in line with the EUDR and increase productivity, and implement transparency and traceability pilots
Commodities:
Region:

Lampung, West Kalimantan, and Central Sulawesi

Target group:

Smallholder farmers, private sector, and civil society organizations along the value chains

Key activities:
  • Empowering Smallholder Farmers and Farmer Organizations by facilitating traceability and legality, building capacity on Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), and strengthening farmer organizations, ensuring inclusive support for both men and women farmers.
  • Promoting sustainable practices and collaboration by supporting village HCV/HCS conservation efforts, testing and strengthening the National Dashboard for traceability and legality, and fostering national and regional exchanges.
Commodities:
Coming soon
Coming soon
Region:

Provinces of Orellana and Sucumbíos

Target group:

Smallholder farmers, women, indigenous people and youth

Key activities:
  • Promoting Multi Stakeholder Dialogues
  • Improving traceabilty systems
Commodities:
Region:

Xingu territory, State of Pará

Target group:

Family farmers

Key activities:
  • Improve market access; value creation and access to finance
  • Integrate farmers into tracability systems
Commodities:
Global activities