Closure of the RSPO Medium Grower Task Force (MGTF)

Endorsed by the RSPO Standards Standing Committee (SSC) on 1 September 2021

The SSC and the RSPO Secretariat would like to extend their deepest gratitude to members of the Medium Grower Task Force (MGTF) for successfully producing:

1. The interim definition of Medium Growers:

Medium Growers are land owners or small businesses with more than 50 ha and up to 500 ha (accumulative), who cultivate and harvest oil palms using hired labour rather than family labour. They may have diverse sources of income including from multiple crops, may not reside near their oil palm plantings and may employ administrative staff. (National Interpretation is encouraged).

2. Interim certification paths available for medium growers based on existing systems are:

   1. Medium Growers can obtain RSPO Principles & Criteria (P&C) Certification independently; or

   2. Medium Growers can obtain P&C Certification as one of the supply bases of a company (mill-with-supply base) under a company’s P&C certificate; or

   3. Medium Growers can obtain P&C Certification using RSPO Group Certification.

Both the interim definition and certification paths for Medium Growers are to be reviewed alongside the next P&C and Independent Smallholder Standard review, for 2023 General Assembly (GA) adoption.

Background

In March 2017, the RSPO Board of Governors (BoG) endorsed the RSPO Smallholder Strategy to improve the inclusivity of RSPO for Independent Smallholders. A simplified standard for independent smallholders, the RSPO Independent Smallholders Standard (RISS) was subsequently developed and endorsed by the BoG in September 2019 and was adopted at the General Assembly at the 17th Annual Roundtable Meeting (RT17).

With the adoption of the 2018 P&C and the 2019 RISS, RSPO still lacks an inclusive and robust system for the certification of medium sized growers.

To address this need, a Medium Grower Task Force (MGTF), reporting directly to the Standards Standing Committee (SSC) was established to oversee the classification of palm oil producers and lead the discussion on the potential development of a certification system and/or certification standard for medium-sized growers.

For more information on the MGTF, please click below:

Medium Grower Task Force, MGTF