Landspace Stories: Meet Arpandi - Championing sustainable palm oil in Riau

Arpandi, 30, is a dedicated oil palm farmer from Sungai Linau Village, Bengkalis District, Riau Province, Indonesia. Raised in the same village, he began his farming journey 15 years ago and has been part of the Sungai Linau Landscape Programme since its inception. In addition to his role as a farmer, Arpandi also serves as the sub-village head of Mawar Sari.

Currently, Arpandi cultivates only oil palm, guided by strong demand for crude palm oil (CPO) and his current expertise. He also took the opportunity to participate in a Musim Mas-led smallholder training—funded by PepsiCo. The training, which focused on good agricultural practices and conservation techniques, helped him adopt better plantation management practices. He now implements nearly all aspects of the training on his farm, emphasising soil and water conservation to ensure long-term productivity.

Arpandi has seen clear benefits: improved soil health, reduced pest incidence, and increased yields. Encouraged by these results, he also plans to introduce other tree species on his land to diversify his farm and build resilience against environmental challenges.

Still, he faces significant hurdles. Arpandi wants to tell the world that smallholder farmers like him are struggling with price volatility, which directly impacts their income and livelihood security. He emphasises the urgent need for support in diversifying crops beyond palm oil, as well as for policies that genuinely benefit farmers on the ground—not just in theory, but in practice.

Arpandi’s journey highlights the importance of empowering farmers with knowledge, tools, and supportive policies. Landscape-based programmes that promote diversification, climate resilience, and farmer well-being needs continued support to ensure a sustainable future for agriculture production and its communities.