Central Sulawesi Forms Sustainable Palm Oil Forum, Focuses on Improving Governance
Central Sulawesi has formed the Multi-Stakeholder Sustainable Palm Oil Forum (FMPSB-Sulteng) to strengthen the governance of oil palm plantations through collaboration between the government, business actors, smallholders, academics, and civil society organisations. The forum is also expected to support the acceleration of national strategic programmes, including the downstream processing of the palm oil industry and the implementation of Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) standards.
The forum, which was declared on Tuesday (21/7/2026), is the result of an initiative by civil society organisations (CSOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Central Sulawesi to strengthen cross-stakeholder coordination in the development of sustainable palm oil plantations.
Musliman, a member of Commission III of the Central Sulawesi Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), said the forum is expected to produce concrete steps for the development of the palm oil sector in the region. "This forum is expected to produce good breakthroughs for palm oil in Central Sulawesi. Collaboration between all parties is the key; let us jointly advance palm oil in Central Sulawesi," Musliman said in a press statement on Wednesday (22/7/2026).
Jen Kurnia Gembu, Head of the Legal Section at the Legal Bureau of the Central Sulawesi Provincial Secretariat, stated that the formation of the forum is a strategic step to strengthen assistance for various issues in the oil palm plantation sector, ranging from regulatory aspects to governance. "In principle, we from the Legal Bureau of the Central Sulawesi Provincial Secretariat support the formation of the Multi-Stakeholder Sustainable Palm Oil Forum. There are still many problems in the palm oil sector that require assistance so that its management can take place sustainably," said Jen.
Mohamad Ahlis Djirimu, an academic from Tadulako University, assessed that collaboration among all stakeholders is an important factor in increasing the competitiveness of the palm oil industry in Central Sulawesi. According to him, the development of downstream processing still faces challenges because most of the processing industry is located outside the province, making the distribution of fresh fruit bunches less efficient. "What we need to strive for is synergy between corporations, and regional governments, both at the provincial and district/city levels. Without synergy, we cannot reap the maximum benefits from the palm oil industry," he said.
Azmi Sirajudin, Executive Director of Ekonesia, said the forum will function as a facilitator, mediator, dynamist, and accelerator in promoting sustainable palm oil development in Central Sulawesi. The forum will also support the acceleration of the People’s Palm Oil Replanting Programme (PSR), the implementation of ISPO standards, the development of downstream industries, and the transition towards a deforestation-free palm oil commodity. "Through this forum, we want to ensure that every party has a space to dialogue, find joint solutions, and oversee the implementation of sustainable palm oil in Central Sulawesi. Collaboration is the key to realising inclusive and competitive palm oil governance," said Azmi.