PALMOILMAGAZINE, KOTAWARINGIN – Bumitama (BGA Group) has expanded its community empowerment initiative, Sekolah Desa Berdaya, to Central Kalimantan, reinforcing its commitment to building more independent, adaptive, and sustainable villages around its operational areas.
Previously implemented and considered successful in Nanga Tayap, West Kalimantan, the program has now officially been launched in the Kotawaringin region, Central Kalimantan, as part of the company’s long-term strategy to strengthen rural resilience.
Sekolah Desa Berdaya operates under the umbrella of Bumitama Berdaya (Beri Daya dan Upaya), an initiative focused on community empowerment rooted in local wisdom, capacity building, and support for village-based economic development.
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The Central Kalimantan launch took place in Metro Manggau, Kotawaringin, and was accompanied by a site visit to supporting facilities, including the school building and practical learning media that will serve as community learning spaces.
The inauguration was attended by BGA management along with representatives from various government institutions and stakeholders, including the Directorate of Cooperatives and MSMEs of BAPPENAS, the Assistant Regent, Bappeda, the Plantation Office, the Office of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives and MSMEs, and members of the Kotawaringin Barat Regional House of Representatives. Community leaders, cooperative and banking partners, and local residents were also present.
BGA Corporate Affairs Director Johan Sukardi emphasized that corporate sustainability can only be achieved when business growth runs in parallel with the development of surrounding communities.
“Through Sekolah Desa Berdaya in Kotawaringin, BGA is driving CSR programs that not only address short-term needs, but also serve as a continuous process of strengthening community capacity,” Johan said in an official statement received by Palmoilmagazine.com on Thursday (January 29, 2026).
According to him, this approach forms a critical foundation for villages to grow more independently and build long-term economic resilience.
Supporting Welfare and Preparing for Plasma Replanting
Sekolah Desa Berdaya is also seen as a strategic step by BGA to contribute to improving community welfare, particularly in preparing villages for the replanting phase of plasma smallholder plantations.
During replanting periods, farmers often face heightened economic challenges as newly planted crops require time before becoming productive again. To address this, the program emphasizes economic diversification, ensuring that household income does not depend solely on a single commodity.
This effort is designed to open alternative business opportunities while strengthening village economic resilience.
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Introduced in July 2025, Built on Three Core Pillars
The Sekolah Desa Berdaya program in Central Kalimantan was first introduced in July 2025. Its implementation is built on three main pillars:
- Improving productivity of independent smallholder farmers
• Developing productive community-based economies
• Strengthening low-carbon village initiatives
To date, BGA has conducted five batches of Productive Economy training, covering learning clusters such as horticulture, livestock, and food processing.
Beyond knowledge transfer, these trainings function as collaborative platforms where communities can jointly develop more diversified economic activities.
The program has received positive responses from both local communities and regional governments. At the inauguration, the Regent of Kotawaringin Barat, represented by the First Assistant, expressed optimism about expanding cooperation with BGA across various regional development programs.
Local government support is viewed as crucial to strengthening synergy and expanding the program’s impact, ensuring that empowerment efforts are integrated into broader regional development strategies.
Strategic Partnerships to Expand Market and Capital Access
The event also featured the signing of several strategic cooperation agreements, including a partnership between Poklahsar Maju Mapan Belitung Laut and Hypermart as a marketing partner, as well as collaboration with PNM to expand access to financing.
These partnerships form part of a broader effort to strengthen economic sustainability at the community level, particularly for MSMEs that require wider market networks and more accessible financing support.
Bumitama CSR Department Head Rizki Munadhil stressed the importance of collaboration in upgrading the quality and sustainability of assisted MSMEs.
“CSR is pushing higher success standards for assisted MSMEs—from improving entrepreneurs’ competencies to strengthening access to capital and markets—by engaging external partners at both local and national levels to ensure long-term sustainability,” Rizki said.
Through the expansion of Sekolah Desa Berdaya in Kotawaringin, BGA is reinforcing its commitment to inclusive and sustainable empowerment. The company emphasized that the program goes beyond training—it is about building a strong village ecosystem, encompassing capacity development, new economic opportunities, market access, and financing support, as the foundation for long-term village independence and regional development. (P2)
