Smallholder oil palm grower, Sadira Hizlin, an indigenous Semai woman, rides to her 3 acre (1.2 hectare) plot. This land was passed down to her by her father, Shahaddin He. Usually plots are passed down to sons but Sadira stepped forward to manage the farm.
This land has been in agricultural use for decades, first to grow rice and then rubber. They use no fertilizer and the fronds, seen piled in rows, are left to decompose naturally to nourish the soil.
Every January, the farm is audited for RSPO and MSPO certification, including with GPS. Wild Asia helps with this process, as it will with the EUDR certification so that palm oil from this plot can be sold in the European Union.
Cut palm fronds are laid down between rows of trees to reduce evaporation, protect soil from heavy rains and to let them decompose and nourish the soil.
Near Kampung Chenderong Kelubi, Perak, Malaysia.//WHITLOWDELANOJAMES_SIPA.59781/Credit:James Whitlow Delano/SIPA/2411131741