Dear Friends and Supporters,
Greetings from the Wild Asia team and Happy Eid to those celebrating! We hope you had a productive first half of the year. Moving forward, we would like to share some updates and upcoming activities for the second half of 2017.
Palm Oil Partnerships: Solution for Zero Deforestation
By now, you should know where your palm oil is coming from, so what's next?
Solutions to deforestation are complex and always have been; otherwise we would no longer see the continued devaluing of forest resources over the last 50 years.
Wild Asia believes strongly in working together to find new and innovative ways to understand the different drivers of deforestation and identify meaningful solutions to tackle deforestation. We believe that businesses can be a force for good if there is dialog and a will to find solutions within the industry.
In Malaysia, with field units in the largest palm oil regions, we are positioned to help global buyers, national processors and the Government understand the realities of deforestation and pilot initiatives that could make a difference. This approach of working from the bottom up will ensure that global problems are solvable. Our strategy is to start with RSPO certification of small producers, and we have been able to do this with the support of many global brands. Since we focus in a geographical region, we are beginning to unravel the complexities working with small producers and are now positioned to discuss ways in which businesses can support change. Taking a regional approach provides a way to build the necessary foundation for creating a jurisdictional or landscape based solution to zero deforestation.
For more information about our work, visit oilpalm.wildasia.org
Upcoming Events
 HCV Assessor Training Course in Bangkok!
In collaboration with the Forest Industry Organisation of Thailand (FIO), we are conducting the HCV Assessor Training Course on 16th - 18th August 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand. The course structure will utilize a new approach, combining online and physical lessons to maximize learning. The course is designed for HCV assessors and practitioners who are already familiar with the HCV approach or are currently members of HCV assessment teams.
For more details on the course, please visit course announcements.
 The 2nd RSPO Lead Auditors Course (Coming Soon)
The new and improved RSPO Lead Auditors Course is designed for professionals in the palm oil industry. It aims to expand the learning space into online lessons which would help prepare and equip participants with basic knowledge prior to attending
the five-day course. Due to popular demand, the next RSPO Lead Auditors Course will be held during 23-27th October 2017.
If you are interested to join this course, please email us for early registration.
Updates from Wild Asia
Wild Asia Group Scheme (WAGS) teams continue their good work!
In February 2017, Wild Asia obtained its RSPO certificate after successfully completing the annual surveillance audit for the project site in Air Kuning, Perak. This year, 141 independent oil palm smallholders were certified. Fifty of these smallholders are from the indigenous communities in Perak. This brings the total number of RSPO-certified independent smallholders to a total of 175, producing about 21,000 tonnes of certified Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) and 4,000 tonnes of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) collectively. This a significant increase from the previous year when only 34 smallholders were certified.
Not long after, our project sites in Beluran and Kinabatangan also obtained their annual surveillance certification, covering over 500 certified smallholders combined. WAGS Beluran produces 17,000 tonnes of FFB and about 3,600 tonnes of CPO; while WAGS Kinabatangan produces about 29,000 tonnes of FFB and 6,300 tonnes of CPO.
These achievements are possible due to the trust and open communication that our teams have built with the communities over time. For more information on the group scheme certification and public summary report, click here.
Wild Asia’s very own star!
 Wild Asia’s Field Assistant Coordinator, Hassan, was recently showcased in an article published by the RSPO about his journey to become part of the Wild Asia family.
In addition to working as a member of our field team, Hassan also runs the family farm which allows him to integrate the experiences he learned from working with us into his farm and subsequently joined the WAGS programme in Kinabatangan as a certified smallholder. Read the full story here. Undeniably, the need for putting food on the table and caring for the environment can be two unparalleled paths. But the story from a strong minded farmer like Noraziza, the mother of Wild Asia's Kinabatangan Field Assistant, Jeffri, proved otherwise. Find out how they did it.
Engagements within the Palm Oil Industry
1) EU Roundtable 2017
The RSPO held its fifth annual European Roundtable event in London on 13th June 2017 at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). This event saw the participation of over 400 delegates who attended to discuss solutions and partnerships to transform the palm oil supply chain towards 100% sustainability. Dr Reza Azmi, Founder and Executive Director of Wild Asia, shared our experiences working with major players in the supply chain. Read more about the event here.
2) RSPO P&C Review
The 2017 RSPO P&C Review was held from 23th-25th May 2017 in Subang, Selangor. Wild Asia attended as a Substantive Member representing the Smallholder category. At this session, Dr Reza Azmi provided key inputs and experience in the certification scheme in an effort to push for a more robust review taking into consideration the reality of implementation and consideration for independent growers.
3) MSPO to be made mandatory in Malaysia
It has been recently announced that compliance to the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification standard will be made mandatory by the end of 2019. Wild Asia is currently working on a few important projects that will help develop specific guidance for smaller palm oil producers to meet not only MSPO, but also NDPE and RSPO global requirements. We would like to hear from you if you would like be included in our innovative support programme. To learn more about our work, visit our website.
4) RSPO 1st Roadshow in Subang, Selangor
The RSPO recently hosted its first roadshow event from 25th-26th April 2017 to increase awareness of RSPO’s mission and to further encourage local businesses to take the first steps towards adopting sustainable palm oil practices. An estimated 120 participants attended the two-day event held at Holiday Villa Subang Hotel & Towers. A presentation on Group Certification for Smallholders was given by Sheila Senathirajah, Programme Director for Palm Oil Initiatives, Wild Asia. Read more about the event here.
That's all we have for now. Until next time, all the best for the second half of the year!
Dr Reza Azmi
Executive Director
Wild Asia
http://oilpalm.wildasia.org/
Promoting Change, Inspiring People, Engaging Businesses
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