CALL FOR PROPOSAL

Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) is an intergovernmental organization for

palm oil producing countries that was established due to the awareness of the need of mutual
cooperation among palm oil producing nations. Indonesia and Malaysia, the world’s biggest
palm oil producers, are the founding members of the Council as well as the current members
along with Honduras.

The three countries recognized significant contribution of palm oil sector in generating export
revenue, raising the income level of rural smallholders, addressing poverty, creating
employment and new business opportunities.

CPOPC is cooperate in research and development which is part of its scopes and functions.
This year CPOPC will pursue three (3) studies (TORs attached) and the Secretariat is looking
for three (3) potential researchers to submit their study proposal to carry out those studies in
2023.

Please send your up to date CV and study proposal to [email protected]; cc to:

[email protected]. Deadline of submission is on 30 June 2023.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

RESEARCH PROPOSAL FOR 2023

1. A STUDY ON THE ADOPTION AND ADAPTATION OF TECHNOLOGIES FOR OIL

PALM SMALLHOLDERS TO ENHANCE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY

A. BACKGROUND

Indonesia, together with Malaysia, produce more than 80% of the global palm oil supply and
meet more than 30% of the world’s vegetable oil consumption. This production comes from
plantations owned by large businesses, state schemes or government-owned plantations and
smallholders.
Smallholders have a great impact on the economy of both countries and become the conduit
of local rural economic development. However, the productivity of smallholders is relatively
low, with only around 1-3 tonnes of CPO/ha/year. Their operational activities are dominated
by family-run businesses with limited or no application of technology. The limited utilization
and exposure to technologies are the challenges faced by smallholders to improve their
productivity.

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Meanwhile, the large oil palm plantations have incorporated the technologies to their business
activity. Automation in harvesting, weed control, utilization of data to facilitate the harvesting
and fertilizer application as well as transportation are some of the technologies used by the
large oil palm plantation. They understand that, with limited source of land for new cultivation
and high dependency on manual labour, the key to increase productivity is by utilizing
technologies.
The approaches and technologies used by large oil palm plantations to enhance their
productivity and performance can and should be emulated by the smallholders. It is important
to review the technologies that can be implemented by the smallholders to enhance their
operational activity. However, since smallholders are very diverse, not all technologies can be
adopted by them. Therefore, the different categories of smallholder must be taken into
consideration when studying the available technologies for adoption and adaptation.

B. PROBLEM STATEMENT
The majority of smallholders in Indonesia and Malaysia have limited access to technologies to
support their operational activities. In contrast, large oil palm plantations have the added
advantage due to automation and incorporation of technologies to support their business
operation. Hence, it is important to learn from the large oil palm company on application of
the technologies on managing the plantation, to identify the suitable technologies that can be
adopted and adapted for use by smallholders.

C. OBJECTIVES
This study is expected to provide a comprehensive identification of technologies used by large
oil palm plantations that can be adopted and adapted by the smallholders to enable better
performance in their operational activity to increase their productivity. The objective of the
study includes the method to transfer the technologies for adoption to suit the smallholders.

D. EXPECTED BENEFITS
This study is expected to come up with recommendations of technologies that can be used by
the smallholders to increase their productivity and efficiency. The recommendation should be
tailored to the needs of different types of smallholders in Indonesia and Malaysia as well as
recommendation on its implementation.

E. SCOPE OF WORK

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The study is a desktop study where the implementer should come up with complete literature
review on related topics. However, there will be an opportunity for conducting interview, focus
group discussion (FGD) and other data collection methods to garner deeper understanding
on smallholders' context and feasibility to adopt and adapt the technologies. The technologies
to be recommended should cover financial capacities, traceability, and productivity
enhancement. Implementer(s) will develop their study framework based on agreed TOR.

F. OUTPUT
1. Comprehensive literature review on utilization of technologies by large oil palm
plantations, which can be adopted and adapted to the smallholders.
2. To provide recommendations on how to adopt and adapt suitable technologies from
large oil palm plantations to different categories of smallholders.
3. To share the study result/ findings to smallholders through the relevant stakeholders.
4. Dissemination of the findings of the study subjected to the recommendation and
approval from the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC).

G. PROJECT DURATION AND TIMELINE

The study is expected to commence in 2023. The final report would be ready within six months
of the study being conducted. An interim report is to be submitted to the Secretariat within
three months of the study.

2. A STUDY ON CONTAMINANTS IN PALM OIL

A. BACKGROUND

Contamination is one of the many possible risks during food processing. In certain cases, a
contaminant would form under certain process to reach the desired product. In others, the
source of the contamination comes from contact with certain items, often one that is used to
contain or to process the product. The level of danger that each contaminant brings to human
health varies due to the frequency of the exposure, the amount ingested, the physical situation
of the person, and the route of exposure1.

1 https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jt/2019/2345283/

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While not all contaminants are harmful, and some does not cause any effect to human health
when consumed under certain doses. Environment, packaging methods, processing, or
transport are possible causes for contaminations.

There is a risk of contamination to any food products, vegetable oils included. Some of the
examples of these unwanted chemicals that could be found inside the commodities are 3-
Monochloropropane-1,2-diol Esters and Glycidyl Esters or 3-MCPDE and GE, and mineral oils,
namely Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons (MOSH) and Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons
(MOAH).

The vegetable oil industry as a whole has the responsibility to make sure that their products
are safe for consumption. Having a good understanding of the contaminants is crucial to
ensure the well-being of their consumers. While these contaminants are all different in nature,
it is important to avoid the exposure of palm oil to these foreign matters altogether. To achieve
that, an identification of the process that might alter certain compounds and cause for
unwanted contamination is needed.

B. PROBLEM STATEMENT

The existence of contaminants in palm oil products and the potential health problems caused
by it has exacerbated the negative image of palm oil. CPOPC, whose members represent more
than 80% of the world’s production of palm oil, has an important role to ensure that its product
is safe for consumption. Hence the study on contaminants, how to mitigate and reduce their
amount in palm oil products should be done.

C. OBJECTIVES

This will be a desktop study on 3-MCPDE, GE, MOSH, and MOAH in palm oil. The objectives of
the study are:

1. To provide complete literature review on the possible source of contamination of 3-

MCPDE, GE, MOSH, and MOAH in palm oil products.
2. To provide complete literature review on the health risk data of 3-MCPDE, GE, MOSH,
and MOAH.
3. To assess and recommend the most viable and available technologies for commercial
mitigation on 3-MCPDE, GE, MOSH, and MOAH in palm oil.

D. EXPECTED BENEFIT

This study is expected to create balance and common narrative on 3-MCPDE, GE, MOSH, and
MOAH on the mitigation and reduction of contaminants in palm oil products.

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E. SCOPE OF WORK

This study will be in the form of desktop study, where implementer(s) will conduct a
comprehensive literature review related to 3-MCPDE, GE, MOSH, and MOAH in palm oil
products.

F. OUTPUT

1. Data on the sources of the contamination of 3-MCPDE, GE, MOSH, and MOAH in the
palm oil products.
2. Data on the possible health risks of 3-MCPDE, GE, MOSH, and MOAH.
3. Recommendations on how to mitigate the 3-MCPDE, GE, MOSH, and MOAH in palm
oil (including to identify and develop alternatives to minimize the formation and/or
contamination).
4. Dissemination of the findings of the study subjected to the recommendation and
approval from the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC).

G. PROJECT DURATION AND TIMELINE

The study is expected to commence in 2023. The final report would be ready within six months
of the study being conducted. An interim report is to be submitted to the Secretariat within
three months of the study.

3. A SYNTHESIS STUDY OF CARBON SEQUESTER POTENTIAL OF OIL PALM

PLANTATIONS

A. BACKGROUND

There is an urgent need to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emission to address the
global concerns of global warming and climate change. United Nations scientists have
indicated that the world has to cut GHG emissions to reach net zero by 2050. Net zero
means cutting GHG emission to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions
re-absorbed from the atmosphere.

Many extensive research has been conducted on the carbon sequestration potential of oil
palm plantation. Oil palm as tree carries out photosynthesis, which absorb the CO2 and
release O2. Hence oil palm has carbon sequestration potential with large range of value

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based on various variables including among others, soil types, biomass calculation and
emission factors. In view of these, there is continued debate on the carbon sequestration
potential of oil palm plantations and its impacts on the environment.

Thus, it is important to have scientific evidence on the sequestration potential of oil palm
plantations to support the claim that cultivation of oil palm plantations contribute to
reduction of carbon emission. It is necessary to establish an average value of carbon
sequestration potential of oil palm plantation based on scientific evidence to counter the
negative allegations against palm oil as carbon source and to compare the carbon
sequestration of oil palm vis-à-vis major vegetable oil crops namely: soybean, rapeseed and
sunflower.

B. PROBLEM STATEMENT

Extensive research has been conducted on the carbon sequestration potential of oil palm
plantation. However, the findings are dependent on various variables including among
others, soil types, biomass calculation and emission factors. In view of these, there is
continued debate on the carbon sequestration potential of oil palm plantations and its
impacts on the environment. Thus, it is important to have scientific evidence on the
sequestration potential of oil palm plantations to support the claim that cultivation of oil
palm plantations contribute to reduction of carbon emission.

C. OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the study are to establish an average value of carbon sequestration
potential of oil palm plantation based on scientific evidence to counter the negative
allegations against palm oil as carbon source and to compare the carbon sequestration of oil
palm vis-à-vis major vegetable oil crops namely soybean, rapeseed and sunflower.

D. EXPECTED BENEFIT
A synthesis report of the carbon sequestration potential of oil palm plantations and the
comparison with carbon sequestration potential of other major vegetable oil crops will
provide the scientific evidence that demonstrate the oil palm cultivations contribute to
reduction of carbon emission.

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E. SCOPE OF WORK
The scope of work covers comprehensive and extensive review and assessment of available
research findings as well as to propose and recommend an average value of carbon
sequestration potential of oil palm plantations and the comparison with other major
vegetable oil crops namely rapeseed, soybean and sunflower.

F. OUTPUTS

The expected outputs are as follows:

1. A synthesis report of the comprehensive and extensive review and

assessment of available research findings of carbon sequestration potential
of oil palm plantation and major vegetable oil crops namely rapeseed,
soybean and sunflower.

2. Recommendation on average value of carbon sequestration potential of oil

palm plantation and major vegetable oil crops namely rapeseed, soybean
and sunflower.

3. Dissemination of the findings of the study subjected to the recommendation

and approval from the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC).

G. PROJECT DURATION AND TIMELINE

The study is expected to commence in 2023. The final report would be ready within six months
of the study being conducted. An interim report is to be submitted to the Secretariat within
three months of the study.