PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – The Indonesian Palm Oil Smallholders Association (Apkasindo) and PT Tribuana Solusi Inovasi Teknologi officially signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday, October 16, 2024, in Jakarta. This collaboration aims to enhance agricultural data quality for independent smallholders through the use of drones.
The MoU was signed by Gulat Manurung, Chairman of Apkasindo, and Nicko Arywibowo, General Manager of Commercial PT Tribuana Solusi Inovasi Teknologi. Nicko explained that the implementation of drones would assist smallholders in addressing labor shortages in palm oil plantations by streamlining mapping processes and improving fertilization methods.
Gulat Manurung welcomed the partnership, acknowledging the complex challenges independent smallholders face, particularly in light of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Although the regulation may be postponed, he emphasized the importance of compliance among smallholders.
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Manurung highlighted three critical aspects of the EUDR: adherence to regulations, prohibition of deforestation, and traceability. “The drones provided by PT Tribuana will play a crucial role in enhancing traceability,” he stated at the event attended by Palmoilmagazine.com.
He also emphasized the the mapping technology would qualify the terms and conditions in EUDR and get the smallholders’ plantation inventory. Besides, the drone would increase the fertilization process that would also increase their plantation productivity.
From the available data, about 68 percent of 300 thousand areas got smallholders replanting program. with the help of drone, they would be easier to cultivate theirs and escalate their production.
Apkasindo would use the drone in every region where Apkasindo operates and the members of Apkasindo could borrow it to map or to get fertilization mechanism. It would be free.
The MoU would cover not only technology provision but also deliver the trainings for the smallholders. PT Tribuana would conduct training of trainer (ToT) so the smallholders would maximize the drone namely by having cooperation with the distributors – DJI Agriculture in Indonesia. (P2)
