InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Amid declining soil quality, rising production costs, and growing market uncertainty faced by Smallholders, the transformation of Indonesia’s agricultural system is becoming increasingly urgent. Regenerative agriculture is now being viewed as a promising strategy to restore degraded land while creating new economic opportunities for farmers.
The issue was highlighted during Webinar Series Episode 1 titled “Land Restoration as an Economic Opportunity in the Transition Toward Regenerative Agriculture,” organized by Kaleka Indonesia and attended by InfoSAWIT on Wednesday (March 11).
The event brought together academics, field practitioners, farmer organization leaders, and supply chain stakeholders to discuss how land restoration efforts can be aligned with productivity improvements and economic value creation.
Regenerative agriculture is an approach that not only seeks to reduce the environmental impact of farming activities but also actively restores soil health, enhances biodiversity, strengthens water cycles, and builds farming systems that are more resilient to climate change.
The approach is also considered capable of reducing farmers’ dependence on synthetic chemical inputs by utilizing local resources and adaptive cultivation practices.
However, adoption of regenerative agriculture in Indonesia still faces several challenges, including limited access to inputs, knowledge gaps among farmers, and the lack of business models that ensure long-term economic sustainability for Smallholders.
Agricultural Soil Conditions Remain Vulnerable
Dr. Heru Bagus Pulunggono from the Department of Soil Science and Land Resources at IPB University explained that much of Indonesia’s agricultural land still has relatively low fertility.
“Most soils in Indonesia are acidic with relatively low fertility, while high rainfall accelerates nutrient leaching. In such conditions, farming practices that focus solely on maximizing yields without proper land management will accelerate soil degradation. A more sustainable approach—combining improvements in soil physical, chemical, and biological properties with environmentally friendly farming practices—is essential to maintain productivity,” he said.
Land Restoration Practices from the Field
Environmental activist and manager of Hutan Organik Megamendung, Rosita Istiawan, shared her experience in rehabilitating degraded land through organic methods.
She explained that since 2000, her team has successfully restored former tea plantation land with highly acidic soil into an organic forest covering around 30 hectares with tens of thousands of trees.
“Previously the land we managed was barren and highly acidic. We planted trees one by one, cared for them patiently, and applied intercropping with vegetables to maintain soil moisture without chemicals. After years of effort, the once-degraded land has developed into more than 30 hectares of organic forest,” she said.
Strengthening Farmer Institutions is Crucial
Mansuetus Darto from Tani Baik emphasized the importance of strengthening farmer institutions and connecting them with markets so that sustainable agricultural practices can deliver tangible economic benefits.
“Since the industrial revolution, many farmers have been pushed to adopt conventional farming systems focused on production increases through technology and chemical inputs. Yet long before that, our farmers already practiced methods that maintained natural balance and soil fertility. Regenerative agriculture is actually not new knowledge—it is traditional wisdom that needs to be revived,” he said.
From a program implementation perspective, Kaleka Food System Coordinator Mila Oktavia Mardiani explained the organization’s work with independent oil palm Smallholders in Seruyan Regency, Central Kalimantan, through the Gawi Bapakat program.
She said the initiative integrates regenerative agriculture practices with sustainable commodity supply chains.
“Through Gawi Bapakat, farmers receive support at both farm and landscape levels to protect and restore ecosystems that support agriculture,” Mila explained.
She added that applying regenerative practices in small-scale monoculture oil palm systems has shown productivity gains of around 12%.
“By shifting from dependence on inorganic fertilizers toward using local waste such as crop residues, weeds, and household organic waste as raw materials for organic fertilizers, farmers can improve plantation management efficiency independently,” she added. (T2)
