InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food continues to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable palm oil plantations in Indonesia through various innovative programs. Focused on enhancing productivity while preserving the environment, the company emphasizes replanting palm oil estates, protecting concession areas, and supporting independent smallholders outside their concessions.
According to Stephan Sinisuka, Head of Corporate Communications at Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food, Indonesia’s palm oil plantations span 16.8 million hectares, with over 37% or approximately 6.3 million hectares managed by farmers, including plasma and independent smallholders.
To support smallholders, Sinar Mas launched the Realising Indonesian Smallholder Empowerment (RISE) initiative, aimed at improving agricultural practices and increasing farmers' incomes. The program is part of the company’s broader transformation towards a sustainable palm oil supply chain.
One highlight of the initiative is the Sawit Terampil Program, offering intensive training to farmer groups. This training includes enhanced cultivation methods, individual mentoring, and preparation to meet sustainability standards such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO).
To date, the Sawit Terampil Program has reached over 9,000 smallholder farmers across Indonesia, with a target to reach 10,000 farmers by 2025 and 50,000 by 2030.
Additionally, Sinar Mas promotes quality education access for farmers and their families to support productivity. As part of the smallholder replanting program, the company provides guidance aligned with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) to improve farmers’ overall welfare.
"Through these programs, we hope to deliver a significant positive impact on farmers and the environment while ensuring the sustainability of the palm oil industry," said Stephan during the RISE Initiative Launch and RSPO Certification Celebration event in Jakarta recently.
With these efforts, Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food not only focuses on economic gains but also on social and environmental sustainability, positioning itself as a leader in Indonesia’s palm oil industry transformation. (T2)
