JAKARTA – Bogor University of Agriculture (IPB University) has contributed to the project of SustainPalm, a bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Netherlands that has been implemened during the last three years.
The SustainPalm project is aimed to create innovative solutions for sustainanble practices in palm oil industries. Besides IPB University, the project also involves University of Lambung Mangkurat (ULM), Wageningen University and Research (WUR), Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences (VHL), the foreign ministry of Netherlands and the economic coordinating ministry of Indonesia.
IPB University Rector Professor Arif Satria said the research collaboration in the project is important to ensure the application of sustainability principles in Indonesian palm oil industries.
“One of our targets is to use wastes of the palm industries as raw materials to produce products with higher economic value. This is from waste to wealth, as part of efforts to apply the principles of circular economy,” he said during the SustainPalm Annual Meeting at IPB International Convention Center, Bogor, on Monday (2/9).
He said that the SustainPalm had proven that sustainable palm oil is not just a discourse, but real action for realization through collaboration of many stakeholders.
“SustainPalm is a collective journey that proves that palm oil sector can support life and preserve the earth for next generations. Although the project has ended, its collaboration spirit and values of sustainability should keep going, becoming foundation of policy, strengthening community, and rooting in the DNA of Indonesian palm oil industries,” he said.
SustainPalm focuses on the improvement of palm oil activities toward becoming more efficient in land use, environmentally friendly, and inclusive for smallholders. The project prioritize the approach of Communities of Practice (CoPs) and LivingLabs (LLs) to decide joint solutions at the local level. One of the solutions developed through the project is the cattle – oil palm integration system (SISKA), which was also supported by the result of research conducted by the IPB University. The SISKA combines the oil palm cultivation with cattle husbandry to increase economic added values for smallholders.
The project also developed the system of intercropping, which is an agricultural system of planting more than one commodity within one location in a planned manner. (*)
Sawitindonesia.com. Gandeng IPB, SustainPalm Project Menjadi Solusi Inovatif Bagi Petani Sawit. https://sawitindonesia.com/gandeng-ipb-sustainpalm-project-menjadi-solusi-inovatif-bagi-petani-sawit/.
