InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – The negative campaigns about palm oil industries in Indonesia have become the challenges, particularly that could influence European people’s perception. But many keep fighting to deny the negative. One approach done was by making creative industries, seen in a documentary film called "Palm Oil in The Land of Orangutans" with two Danish directors, Sal and Ulirk Gutkin.

The film has become one interesting topic because it would be the only original fil in Europe that objectively depicted palm oil industries in Indonesia. In the official statement of Indonesian Ambassador in Denmark, Dewi Savitri Wahab said the documentary film should be taken as the positive contribution for palm oil industries from Indonesia in European Union, particularly in Denmark.

"Palm Oil in The Land of Orangutans" described about Carl Tareholt, Director of Copenhagen Zoo, as one international scale program, to Indonesia. Tareholt visited palm oil plantations of United Plantation, a Denmark palm oil plantation company in Regency of Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan Province. He saw a forest rehabilitation project that the company did, including developing corridor forests that successfully be the connection between plantations and protected forests around them.

The project results were positive. Animals got increasing in numbers by passing (using) the corridor. Kinds of birds got escalated in numbers around palm oil plantations. Besides, the corridor forests would be the habitat for orangutan.

The film also described the economic and social aspects to palm oil industries. Many smallholders in Indonesia got better in economy after joining plasma scheme in agricultural sector.

Dewi also said the the film explored and informed sustainable principles in Indonesia’s palm oil industries. Indonesian Embassy in Kopenhagen, Copenhagen Zoo, and film producrs would be committed to promote the film to many parties to fight for negative campaigns in Indonesia’s palm oil industries to Europe, particularly in Denmark. (T2)