Summary
This research primarily focuses on assessing the benefits, costs and challenges of RSPO certification for independent smallholders. This study collected primary data through personal interviews with 158 certified and 144 non-certified smallholders, in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, and focus group meetings across five Southern Thai provinces. Data was analysed qualitatively, descriptively, and quantitatively using t-tests to compare RSPO-certified and non-certified farm households. Key findings indicate that RSPO certification significantly increases Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) yields and net economic returns for certified smallholders, despite comparatively high upfront and recurrent costs. Well-established certified smallholders were found to be performing better than newly certified ones.
The study’s authors recommend enhancing RSPO’s local presence and streamlining processes, encouraging smallholder participation and record-keeping, and urging mills to foster genuine partnerships, alongside government policy revisions to explicitly support RSPO standards, and address land rights and funding challenges. They also recommend adopting an Agri-PPP model for certification. The Agri-PPP model for independent smallholder in Thailand involves smallholder groups forming alliances with mills and downstream industries, focusing on Public-Private Partnerships for Agribusiness Development.