ISPO Certification and the Sustainable Development Goals: Readiness of Independent Smallholders in Indonesia (South Sumatra)

Indonesia requires all plantation companies and smallholders to obtain Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification by 2025, making an evidence-based assessment of smallholders’ readiness a policy priority. We conducted a descriptive, quantitative study of independent smallholders in Musi Rawas Regency, South Sumatra, using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire. The instrument directly operationalized the indicators codified in the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture No. 38/2020, enabling criterion-aligned measurement of ISPO preparedness. Reliability testing indicated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.996). The overall attainment of ISPO standards among independent smallholders was 71.53%, suggesting fairly sustainable management practices and partial readiness for certification, while underscoring the need for continued capacity building to meet all mandatory criteria. By translating the 2020 regulation’s indicator set into a practical survey tool, this study provides a replicable approach for monitoring compliance and targeting extension, financing, and governance support for independent smallholders. The findings offer actionable evidence for provincial and national stakeholders to accelerate ISPO implementation and strengthen the sustainability performance of Indonesia’s oil palm sector.