PALMOILMAGAZINE, BENGKULU – The Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB), in collaboration with the General Directorate of Plantation Ministry of Agriculture and the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA), conducted financial administration and management training for human resources in the palm oil plantation sector in Bengkulu Province from July 23-26, 2024. The training was attended by 28 smallholders from the Regency of Bengkulu Utara.
According to M. Rizon, Head of the Bengkulu Province Food Crops, Horticulture and Plantation Agency, Bengkulu Province has 413,000 hectares of oil palm plantations, 77% of which are owned by local farmers.
“The area of oil palm plantations in Bengkulu Province is around 413,000 hectares, 77.15% of which is owned by the people and the rest is managed by the private sector,” M. Rizon said in an official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com on Monday (29/7/2024).
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Eva Lizarmi, Chairman of the Secretariat Team of Palm Oil Plantation Human Resources at the General Directorate of Plantation, emphasized the crucial role of smallholders in the nation’s economic stability. “During the pandemic, palm oil was one commodity that showed positive progress. Smallholders significantly contributed to the welfare and development of the plantation sector in Indonesia,” Eva said.
Dwi Rachmina, Trainer of IPB Training, said that the training would be about to get ambassador from other planters, to share knowledge and skills. “We do hope the participants would follow up their knowledge from here to others in Bengkulu Utara,” Dwi said in the training.
Team Chairman in Employment and Instrituion, Pusat Pelatihan Pertanian BPPSDMP Ministry of Agriculture, M. Apuk Ismane said that the government’s supports would be significant to empower the planters’ economic institutions. The supports should cover four main aspects, such as the prime service for the smallholders, partnership with village enteIDRrises, development in downstream industries, and budget allocation for counseling.
By the training, it is hoped the planters in Bengkulu would escalate their skills in financial administration and management which eventually supported the regional and national scale economic development. The multi-party support would be very important to get the goal. (P2)
