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Sustainable Palm Oil Plantations Grow and Prosper Together with Communities, Need Legal Certainty



Doc. InfoSAWIT/Prof. Bungaran Saragih, emphasized that the long productivity cycle of palm oil plantations, which can last up to 25 years, requires support for its developmen.
Sustainable Palm Oil Plantations Grow and Prosper Together with Communities, Need Legal Certainty

InfoSAWIT, BOGOR – The sustainability of the palm oil agribusiness requires close cooperation among all stakeholders. Former Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia for the 2000–2004 period, Prof. Bungaran Saragih, emphasized that the long productivity cycle of palm oil plantations, which can last up to 25 years, requires support for its development.

"All stakeholders must be willing to work together to build sustainable palm oil plantations," Prof. Bungaran stated in an interview with InfoSAWIT on Tuesday (December 17) in Bogor.

He noted that social and environmental conflicts that often plague the palm oil sector need to be anticipated with the best solutions. If violations occur, law enforcement according to the law must be carried out to ensure the sustainability of the business.

In line with Prof. Bungaran, Forestry Law Expert and Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Al Azhar University Indonesia Jakarta, Sadino, mentioned that weak law enforcement often becomes the root of conflicts in palm oil plantations.

"Often, these conflicts stem from conspiracies by mafias seeking personal gain," he told InfoSAWIT on Wednesday (December 18).

Sadino referred to the land occupation case involving PT Agricinal in North Bengkulu, which he believes requires firm and measured law enforcement. He suspects that there are hidden personal motives behind the mass actions.

"PT Agricinal has fulfilled its partnership obligations with plasma farmers, so its HGU has been extended. There should be no additional pressure from land mafia interests," Sadino asserted.

He reminded that palm oil plantation land is state-owned and managed based on government permits in accordance with the law. Therefore, organized mass land occupations must be responded to with firm legal actions.

"Consistent law enforcement is crucial so that businesses are not continually confused by demands that do not comply with regulations," he concluded.

Cooperation among stakeholders and firm law enforcement are essential foundations to ensure the sustainability of the palm oil sector, which is one of Indonesia's key agribusinesses. (T2)

 

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