PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Efforts to strengthen Indonesia’s plantation human resources (HR) are entering a new chapter. The Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP), long recognized for its palm oil scholarship program, has officially expanded its mandate to include coconut and cocoa.
BPDP President Director, Eddy Abdurrachman, emphasized that human resource development is key to advancing a sustainable and globally competitive plantation industry.
“Palm oil HR development has been the cornerstone of building a sustainable plantation sector. Moving forward, the program will also extend to coconut and cocoa in line with our new mandate,” Eddy said during the signing of a scholarship cooperation program in Jakarta, Wednesday (20/8/2025).
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Palm Oil Scholarships Continue to Grow
Since its launch in 2016, the palm oil scholarship program has reached 9,265 beneficiaries, with a total disbursement of IDR 938 billion. This year, BPDP is awarding scholarships to 4,000 new recipients across diploma (D1) to undergraduate (S1) levels, spanning 71 study programs in collaboration with 41 universities.
Priority continues to be given to the children of smallholders, plantation workers, extension officers, and civil servants (ASN) working in the palm oil sector. The expectation is that graduates will not only be absorbed into major industries but also return to their hometowns to strengthen smallholder plantations.
Under Presidential Regulation No. 132 of 2024, BPDP’s role has expanded beyond palm oil to also manage funds for coconut and cocoa. With this new mandate, its scholarship and HR capacity-building initiatives are projected to extend to these two key commodities.
“BPDP remains committed to enhancing the skills and competencies of the younger generation in the plantation sector. This way, the future of Indonesia’s plantation industry will no longer rely solely on palm oil, but also on coconut and cocoa,” Eddy affirmed. (P2)
