PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – The Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) has officially opened the 2026 BPDP Research Grant program, emphasizing studies that can deliver measurable impact for the development of Indonesia’s strategic plantation commodities, from upstream production to downstream industries, particularly palm oil, coconut, and cocoa.
The change in nomenclature from the Palm Oil Research Grant to the BPDP Research Grant reflects the broader range of commodities now covered under the funding scheme.
This was conveyed by BPDP Director of Downstream Sector Fund Distribution, Mohammad Alfansyah, during the Webinar on the Call for Proposal for the 2026 BPDP Research Grant on Thursday (April 30, 2026), attended by Palmoilmagazine.com.
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According to Alfansyah, interest from academics and research institutions in the grant program continues to grow steadily. In the previous cycle, BPDP received more than 1,400 research proposals, and with the wider commodity scope this year, submissions are expected to rise significantly.
“The enthusiasm from researchers at universities and research institutions is very high. In the last period alone, we received more than 1,400 proposals. With the broader research scope now available, this year’s number is likely to increase further,” Alfansyah said.
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Focus on Research with Industrial Impact
He explained that the main objective of the BPDP Research Grant is to strengthen plantation-based industries through applicable innovations. Therefore, BPDP expects submitted research not to remain only at the academic level, but to generate real contributions in improving productivity, efficiency, added value, and downstream product development.
“Whatever research is conducted must be directed toward strengthening, developing, and improving products. What we expect are studies that create real impact on the development of these commodities,” he added.
BPDP also highlighted the importance of proposal quality from the earliest stage, particularly in administrative completeness, which has remained a common challenge for some applicants. In last year’s selection, several proposals failed during the administrative stage, preventing their research substance from reaching committee evaluation.
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Strictly Independent Assessment Process
For the 2026 grant cycle, BPDP has assured that the selection process will be objective and independent. The Research and Development Committee has been instructed not to provide proposal-specific consultations until the submission deadline in June.
This measure is intended to maintain fairness so that all proposals are assessed solely on quality and relevance, rather than through prior communication with evaluators.
In addition, institutional track records will be one of the key considerations. BPDP will assess universities and research institutions based on previous project performance, including output quality, reporting punctuality, and commitment to completing research according to targets.
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To broaden outreach among potential research partners, BPDP plans to hold a series of direct socialization events in several regions, including Bandung, Central Java, Medan, Aceh, and Eastern Indonesia, using a university cluster approach to ensure wider dissemination of information.
Through these steps, BPDP hopes to attract more high-quality proposals, particularly studies with implementation and commercialization potential, while supporting strategic policy development for Indonesia’s palm oil, coconut, and cocoa sectors. (P2)
