PALMOILMAGAZINE, MEDAN — A total of 61 oil palm farmers and facilitators from Batubara Regency, North Sumatra, took part in a Technical Training on Oil Palm Cultivation, as part of the 2025 Human Resource Development Program for Oil Palm Plantations (SDM-PKS). The training, held from June 16 to 20, 2025, at AIHO Hotel Medan, was organized with the support of the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) and the Directorate General of Plantations (Ditjenbun) of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture.
The training was officially opened by Darmansyah Basyaruddin, Chair of the SDM-PKS Development Committee, who emphasized the importance of improving farmers’ capacity to boost productivity and meet sustainability standards. He cited Plantation Law No. 39 of 2014, which mandates strengthening farmers’ knowledge and skills.
“Currently, the productivity of smallholder oil palm plantations in Indonesia remains very low, around 1.5–2 tons of CPO per hectare per year, while the potential reaches up to 6 tons,” Darmansyah said in an official statement received by Palmoilmagazine.com on Monday (June 23, 2025). “Through this training, we hope farmers can apply proper and sustainable cultivation techniques to significantly improve their yields,” he added.
Also Read: ITS Develops Three Palm Oil Innovations to Support Sustainable Agriculture
Darmansyah also highlighted the upcoming mandatory implementation of the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification in 2025. “ISPO requires compliance with plantation management standards. Therefore, this training is not just about building capacity, but also preparing for legal compliance and sustainability,” he stressed.
The training, facilitated by trainers from PT Koompasia Enviro Institute (KEI), combined theoretical instruction with hands-on practice. Participants were divided into five intensive classes, covering a wide range of topics related to oil palm cultivation on mineral soils — from regulations and seed selection to planting techniques, maintenance, and pest and disease control.
Designed to be interactive, the training allowed participants to engage actively with the material. Besides classroom sessions, participants also took part in a field trip on Friday, June 20, 2025, to PT Eastern Sumatra Indonesia’s Bukit Maraja Estate in Gunung Malela, Simalungun Regency.
During the visit, participants engaged directly with estate managers to gain a deeper understanding of oil palm management — from immature plants (TBM) to productive trees (TM) and seedling units. The on-site discussion added a practical dimension to the training, offering firsthand insight into plantation standards at the company level.
“This is a valuable experience. We got to see how a plantation is managed professionally. There’s a lot we can apply to our own farms,” said one of the trainees.
Supported by state institutions and professional training providers, the 2025 SDM-PKS Program is expected not only to build individual capacity but also to drive systemic transformation in smallholder plantation governance. If consistently implemented, this type of training could mark a turning point in improving smallholder farmers’ welfare and strengthening their role in a sustainable national palm oil system. (P2)
