PALMOILMAGAZINE, BALIKPAPAN – The government continues to strengthen its commitment to enhancing smallholders’ skills through intensive training programs. The latest initiative involved palm oil plantation mapping training held in East Kalimantan Province.
This training, conducted by Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) under the direction of the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PO PFMA) and the General Directorate of Plantation at the Ministry of Agriculture, took place from August 6 to 9, 2024, in Balikpapan.
The training was attended by 90 participants from the Paser Regency, who were divided into three classes of 30 participants each. The focus of the training was on modern mapping techniques to be used in palm oil plantation management.
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Director of IPB Training, Muhammad Sigit Susanto said that the main goal would be about to get accurate data needed, such as, replanting program, and palm oil – cow integrated program. “We would like that the smallholders could get useful maps practically,” he said, as in the official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com, Sunday (18/8/2024)
During the four day – training, the participants got not only theories but also field practices to use global positioning system (GPS), avenza maps, and open camera. They also learned about using drone to map the plantations, get some shots from the air to reinforce their technical capacity.
In his speech, M. Apuk Ismane of BPPSDMP Ministry of Agriculture appreciated the training realization. “This would be the important thing to support smallholders replanting program namely in the Regency of Paser for palm oil trees could be more than 25 – 30 years old,” he said.
Head of Livestock and Plantation Agency Regency of Paser, Djoko Bawono said that the agency would provide GPS for smallholders’ institutions to get their plantation data easier in the region.
Arfi Thahar of PO PFMA also emphasized that the training would be very important in the context to escalate palm oil plantation productivity. “This program would support the vision of PO PFMA to make the smallholders’ plantations go forward,” he said.
As the final result of the training, the participants successfully got the polygon and maps to be used in the next plans for their plantation management.
It would escalate not only the smallholders’ skills but also reinforce the collaboration among the government, educational institutions, and private sectors to support palm oil plantation nationally. (P2)
