PALMOILMAGAZINE, SURABAYA – The Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA / BPDPKS) has taken proactive steps by implementing the Palm Oil Research and Development Program. This initiative aims to strengthen, enhance, and promote the palm oil industry in Indonesia, encompassing both its upstream and downstream sectors.
A key aspect of this effort is to stimulate the interest of Indonesian students in conducting palm oil research, laying the groundwork for the sustainable development of this vital industry on a national scale.
Eddy Abdurrachman, the Director of PFMA, outlined the research and development program’s various components, including the Program Grant Riset Sawit. This program is structured into two key categories: selection and initiative.
“This program was designed to escalate research and development in sustainable and environmental palm oil. The main focus would cover, escalating productivity and efficiency, sustainability, creating new markets and products, and escalating smallholders’ welfare,” he said when delivering speech in the Pekan Riset Sawit Indonesia 2023 (PERISAI 2023) with the theme “Reinforcing Palm Oil Industry in Combating Global Challenges through Technological Innovation” in The Westin Surabaya, that Palmoilmagazine.com attended, Wednesday (25/10/2023).
Also Read : Palm Oil Industry Open to Use PFMA Research Results
He also mentioned since it started in 2015, Program Grant Riset Sawit has funded 329 cooperation contracts with 88 research institutions in 19 provinces and involved 1202 researchers.
In the research result commercialization, PFMA is in cooperation with Asosiasi Inventor Indonesia (AII) to get technology preparedness assessment from the result researches.
30 inventions from the research results are ready to get commercial. Some investors are interested in them with the agreement of technology secret. Eddy said, PFMA would discover the research results that PFMA funded in the two day – seminar.
“The seminar consists of six sessions/classes that enable every participant to get into according their interest. The initiative would reinforce research infrastructure in Indonesia and open innovation, new market development, and escalate smallholders’ income,” he said.
By having Palm Oil Research and Development Program, PFMA is committed to develop palm oil industries sustainably, innovatively, and have high competition. By reinforcing research and development, Indonesia would go forward as palm oil industrial leader in the globe responsibly and environmentally. (T2)
