Musim Mas Completes Five-Year Smallholder Program in Aceh

SINGAPORE, Oct. 23, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Musim Mas has completed a five-year program in Subulussalam, Aceh, Indonesia, aimed at improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers while promoting environmental stewardship. This initiative, which covers 48 villages, has significantly impacted the local community and the broader Leuser Ecosystem, a region of high biodiversity where 87% of the ecosystem lies within Aceh.

The program, a collaboration between Musim Mas, AAK, and other partners, focused on independent smallholders operating outside the company's managed concessions. It combined capacity building, responsible agricultural practices, financial literacy, and environmental monitoring to address the interconnected challenges faced by smallholder communities and their landscapes.

Over the five-year period, the program trained 117 Village Extension Officers (VEOs), who, with support from Musim Mas field assistants, reached 2,239 independent smallholders. This far exceeded the initial target of training 40 trainers and 1,000 smallholders. The approach ensured that knowledge and capabilities remained embedded within local communities, enabling continued impact beyond the duration of the project.

Smallholders were trained on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) aligned with No Deforestation, No Peat, and No Exploitation (NDPE) principles. Advanced training modules equipped VEOs and farmers with skills in adult learning, public speaking, financial literacy, and farm management. Further training was provided to VEOs, including preparation for the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) requirements, understanding soil health, and home composting.

The program integrated productivity improvements with environmental protection, recognizing that sustainable livelihoods are essential to reducing deforestation risks. Key outcomes include increased adoption of GAP practices across the 48 villages, which resulted in improved yields and responsible use of inputs. Smallholders gained financial literacy, including the use of banking services and daily expense logging. Based on the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) sampling method, 82% of sampled smallholders now implement GAP in the field.

Additionally, the program included a Women Smallholders Program, reaching over 200 participants with training in health, nutrition, and financial literacy modules. This initiative aimed to empower women in the community and enhance their role in sustainable agriculture.

The completion of the Subulussalam program marks an important milestone in demonstrating a scalable model for addressing complex sustainability challenges in palm oil supply chains. By combining local capacity building, data-driven monitoring, and cross-sector collaboration, the initiative provides a framework that can be adapted and replicated in other sourcing regions.

Musim Mas, an integrated palm oil group operating in 14 countries and one of the largest palm oil producers in the world, has a long history of commitment to sustainability. The company was the first with significant operations in Indonesia to join the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2004. In October 2024, Musim Mas announced that the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has officially validated the Group's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

This initiative reflects Musim Mas's commitment to working across the supply chain to support farmers and promote responsible sourcing. By investing in smallholder livelihoods, the company is helping to create more resilient and sustainable supply chains.