InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – The discussion surrounding the sustainability of palm oil plantation management has resurfaced following the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) asserting that palm oil is not classified as a forest crop. In the Ministerial Regulation P.23/2021, palm oil is also not listed as a crop for forest and land rehabilitation (RHL).
KLHK previously stated that expansive, monoculture, and non-procedural palm oil practices in forest areas have led to various negative impacts, ranging from legal issues to ecological, hydrological, and social damage.
Professor Priyono Suryanto, a prominent figure from the Faculty of Forestry at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), has voiced strong criticism against plans to expand palm oil plantation areas. He views this option as an outdated approach that reinforces Indonesia's stigma as a country with high deforestation rates.
“This option indicates that Indonesia is succumbing to global pressures related to negative campaigns. Does the Red and White Cabinet want to sacrifice the dignity of our nation by opening new palm oil areas?” questioned the Chairman of the Indonesian Agroforestry Society (MAFI).
According to Professor Priyono, the government should focus on optimizing smallholder palm oil plantations. “We need to build supremacy in research and innovation for smallholder palm oil to elevate their status. Currently, smallholder plantations face many challenges despite replanting programs being implemented,” he explained, as reported by InfoSAWIT from DetikEdu on Friday (January 10, 2025).
Professor Priyono proposed two main solutions to support sustainability without expanding new areas. First, he emphasized the need for strengthening research and innovation, urging the government to enhance research, innovation, and human resource sovereignty in the palm oil sector. This approach would enable Indonesia to achieve high productivity while maintaining sustainability principles and avoiding new land expansion.
Second, he introduced the concept of the "Super Power of Sustainable Palm Oil Plantations," which emphasizes harmony between development and environmental preservation, referencing the principle of Saint Vincent de Lerins: "forever, wherever, for everything." With this approach, Indonesia could become a global model for sustainable palm oil governance.
“This new era will position Indonesia as a world leader in the palm oil industry that respects ecosystem balance and humanity,” he added.
Through these solutions, Professor Priyono hopes the government will refrain from the "old-fashioned" approach of opening forests for palm oil expansion. Instead, he encourages the Red and White Cabinet to adopt innovative strategies toward achieving Indonesia's Golden Vision 2045.
“If we only rely on opening new land, we are not making progress. Is this how we welcome a bright future?” he concluded.
This initiative presents a challenge for the government to maintain a balance between economic and ecological interests for long-term sustainability. (T2)
