InfoSAWIT, SANUR – Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Sudaryono, emphasized the importance of soil condition restoration, reducing pollution risks from pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and restoring degraded ecosystems during the 7th International Conference of Oil Palm and Environment (ICOPE).
Sudaryono explained that environmental degradation is occurring massively and has global impacts. Climate change is a result of ongoing environmental destruction. One tangible impact is land fires, which not only harm the palm oil sector but also the wider community.
According to data from the Palm Oil Research Center (PPKS), smoke from fires can hinder photosynthesis, reducing palm oil productivity by up to 5.5%. Therefore, he stressed that preventing land fires must be part of palm oil plantation management.
To maintain the sustainability of the palm oil industry, Sudaryono emphasized the implementation of integrated pest management and conservation tillage. "These measures can improve soil health and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers while helping to preserve biodiversity," he said while opening the 7th International Conference of Oil Palm and Environment (ICOPE) attended by InfoSAWIT in Sanur, Bali, on Wednesday (February 12, 2025).
However, he also acknowledged that the palm oil industry faces economic challenges and limited access to resources, which can hinder sustainability efforts.
Sudaryono invited all stakeholders to recognize, evaluate, and measure the contributions of ecosystem functions to the agricultural sector. He also suggested several new approaches to sustainable agricultural management, including: first, Resource Efficiency – optimizing water and land use while minimizing harmful inputs such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers to reduce dependence on costly and environmentally damaging external resources.
Second, Emission and Pollution Reduction – implementing low-emission technologies such as agroforestry and soil conservation techniques to minimize erosion and nutrient loss. Third, Ecosystem Restoration and Long-term Sustainability – applying agroecological techniques such as intercropping, using organic fertilizers, and integrating palm oil-livestock systems to maintain soil health and ecosystems for sustainable palm oil production.
"It is time for us to adopt more efficient, low-emission, and sustainable agricultural models for a more resilient palm oil industry," Sudaryono concluded. (T2)
