Through Workshop, Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Association Strengthens Partnership and Institutionalization of Oil Palm Farmers in Jayapura, Papua

JAYAPURA, PAPUA – Chairman of the DPP of the Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Association Gulat Me Manurung conveyed the importance of oil palm institutions and partnerships, because institutions and partnerships are inseparable, “institutions and partnerships are two things that cannot be separated, if there are no institutions then there will be no such thing as partnerships, institutions and partnerships do not partner with people, but with an institution, so it is through institutions that programs are submitted and responded to by the Indonesian palm oil agency,” Gulat Manurung said.

This activity was attended by several speakers, namely:

1. Representative of the Acting Governor of Papua Anike Rawar,
2. Chairman of the DPP of the Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Association Gulat Me Manurung,
3. Head of Domestic Marketing Team of Directorate General of Plantation Elvy Risma Nainggolan,
4. BPDPKS Dwimas Nusantara,
5. Papua Plantation and Livestock Service Office Yakub Suprapto,
6. Papua Office of Cooperatives and SMEs Soleman Kogoya,
7. PT. Tandan Sawita Papua Agus Tando.

Gulat emphasized that every stakeholder must work together to strengthen institutions to achieve partnerships, “then there will be replanting factories and all kinds, so we first strengthen the institutions to achieve partnerships, partnerships are cooperation, cooperation is not with individuals, but with cooperatives or farmer associations,” Gulat said.

The Papua Provincial Government encourages the development of oil palm plantations to coincide with rejuvenation efforts, this is to avoid the development of oil palm in Keerom Regency which is now no longer a livelihood for the community, because there is no sustainable program, the production results have decreased, “therefore it is very important to collaborate with partnerships between the government, industry and farming communities in developing oil palm plantations that are economically socially and environmentally sustainable,” said Functional Officer of Intermediate Expert Policy Analyst for People’s Welfare of Papua Anike Rawar.

Annike called on the local Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Association to start encouraging the development of people’s oil palm plantations that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. “For that reason, once again we really appreciate the activity of strengthening partnerships and institutions of smallholder oil palm plantations because as is known, the issues surrounding oil palm are very complex so it is necessary to conduct workshops to increase understanding about sustainability,” Anike said.

Chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Association of Papua Albert Yoku said that this activity was attended by 50 people from five provinces in Tanah Papua, namely:

1. Papua,
2. Papua Mountains,
3. Central Papua,
4. Southwest Papua,
5. West Papua.

“The purpose of this activity is to provide an understanding to oil palm farmers to understand the development of oil palm plantations in Indonesia so that in the future there is a sustainability of oil palm replanting in the Land of Papua, throughout Papua there are around 62 hectares managed both from the community and companies but they see that these expectations are not yet optimal. For this reason, it is hoped that with this strengthening workshop, the production of oil palm in Papua can be maximized so that in the future Papua can present a palm oil factory to produce CPO or palm oil, “Albert said.

Rev. Albert Yoku explained that the role of oil palm from fulfilling five aspects, namely:

1. Ecological Function,
2. Forestry,
3. Economy,
4. Socio-cultural,
5. Nation Unifier.