Smallholders´sustainability perceptions vs. performance in the context of indonesian palm oil - How do international sustainability criteria influence local discourses and practices in rural Sumatra?

The project will focus on the question of how consumer perceptions of sustainability, expressed through international certification criteria influence local production practices. Qualitative interviews will be conducted in Jambi with a focus on smallholder farms, large-scale plantations, milling facilities, governmental authorities, and NGOs in the palm oil business.

The aim of the study is to find out how certain sustainability aspects are ranked in their importance and feasibility and how far these are imbedded in farming, milling, trading and governance practices and if there exists a gap between the supply and demand sides in their perception of sustainable palm oil.