KUCHING: Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad (FGV) has implemented a structured, systematic and customised training programme for its key stakeholders.
The stakeholders include Felda employees, Felda settlers (smallholders), third party fresh fruit bunch (FFB) suppliers and FGV contractors.
“The objectives of the training programme are in areas of good agricultural practices, improving labour conditions and other sustainability practices throughout FGV’s palm oil value chain,” said a recent press statement.
FGV group president and chief executive officer Datuk Zakaria Arshad was quoted as saying it was imperative that FGV engage with its key stakeholders in the palm oil value chain to keep them abreast of sustainability issues and drive change on the ground.
He said that together they ought to strive for long-term growth for the industry and the community.
The statement asserted that FGV and Felda had remained committed to Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification to ensure that the sustainability aspects of the business would be monitored and enhanced.
“FGV is in the process of certifying its palm oil mill complexes to RSPO requirements. FGV plans to be RSPO certified within five years from 2017 to 2021.
“FGV expects to obtain the first RSPO certification for eight palm oil mill complexes before the end of this year subject to obtaining the necessary clearance from the RSPO audit process,” it said.
The same statement said FGV had also been working closely with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to train and increase Felda settlers’ knowledge on improving labour practices and good agricultural practices to improve FFB yield, oil extraction rate (OER) and other relevant agricultural practices.
This year, more than 1,640 FGV and Felda top management and field supervisors had jointly attended specially tailored sustainability awareness training programmes spread over 60 sessions.
Zakaria said: “It is absolutely crucial for FGV’s contractors to embark on this sustainability journey with FGV to reap the benefits over the long term.”
“Thus, FGV has performed a series of contractors’ training sessions in Malaysia involving more than 250 contractors on improving labour management practices in 2016 and 2017,” he added.
The statement disclosed that Felda settlers contributed to at least 40 per cent of FGV’s FFB supply base to FGV’s 70 mills located all over Malaysia.
“FGV also trains independent smallholders who supply FFB to its palm oil mills on harvesting quality FFB and other relevant good agricultural practices,” it said.