InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Efforts to strengthen national plantation human resources (HR) have entered a new phase. The Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP), known for its palm oil scholarship program, has officially expanded its mandate to include coconut and cocoa commodities.

BPDP CEO, Eddy Abdurrachman, stated that HR development is key to fostering a sustainable and globally competitive plantation industry. "The development of palm oil human resources is the main pillar in creating a sustainable plantation industry. However, moving forward, this program will also touch the coconut and cocoa sectors in line with our new mandate," he said at the signing of a scholarship program cooperation agreement in Jakarta on Wednesday (20/8/2025).

Palm Oil Scholarships Continue to be Strengthened

Since its launch in 2016, the palm oil scholarship program has reached 9,265 recipients with a total fund disbursement of Rp938 billion. This year, BPDP is providing scholarships to 4,000 new recipients from diploma (D1) to undergraduate (S1) levels, spread across 71 study programs and in collaboration with 41 universities.

Priority remains on the children of smallholders, plantation workers, extension workers, and civil servants who work in the palm oil sector. The hope is that graduates will not only be absorbed by large companies but will also return to their home regions to strengthen smallholder plantations.

Based on Presidential Regulation No. 132 of 2024, BPDP now manages funds not only for palm oil but also for coconut and cocoa. With this new mandate, the scholarship and HR capacity-building programs are projected to expand to these two leading commodities. "BPDP is committed to continuously improving the skills and competence of the younger generation in the plantation sector. This way, the development of the national plantation industry will not only rely on palm oil but also on coconut and cocoa," Eddy concluded. (T2)