Environmental governance meets reality: a micro-scale perspective on sustainability certification schemes for oil palm smallholders in Jambi, Sumatra

Martens, Katrin / Yvonne Kunz / Ir. Rosyani / Heiko Faust
External Publications (2020)

in: Society & Natural Resources 33(5), 1-17

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2019.1674436
Volltext/Document

Multi-stakeholder sustainability certification schemes have become a favorite instrument for applying good governance, though studies indicate their inefficiency at the producer level. In this study, we used a mixed-method approach to first, map the institutional context of independent oil-palm smallholders in rural Sumatra while, second, reflecting upon the impact of the Smallholder Standard proposed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil on smallholder management practices. We hold that non-recognition of micro-scale perspectives within governance processes may partially explain noncompliance with certification principles among smallholders. The Smallholder Standard appears unable to mitigate challenges important for smallholders, who in turn cannot properly comply with it, due to problems including weather instability and high management costs. We suggest that certification schemes need to work on some overlooked but essential preconditions of good governance, namely gaining micro-level visibility and acceptance.

Further experts

Aleksandrova, Mariya

Climate risk governance 

Banerjee, Aparajita

Environmental and Resource Sociology, Public Policy 

Brüntrup, Michael

Agricultural Economy 

Dombrowsky, Ines

Economist 

Donnelly, Aiveen

Politcal Science 

Gubbini, Emily

Social Science 

Hein, Jonas

Geography 

Hernandez, Ariel

Economy 

Houdret, Annabelle

Political Scientist 

Lehmann, Ina

Political Science 

Mudimu, George Tonderai

Agricultural policy economics 

Rukundo, Emmanuel Nshakira

Development Economics 

Sakketa, Tekalign Gutu

Agricultural / Development Economics 

Schoderer, Mirja

Environmental Research 

Schüpf, Dennis

Economics