InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) has strengthened its commitment to sustainable plantation development by forging a broad research partnership involving government agencies, research institutions, state-owned enterprises, academia, and regional administrations to accelerate innovation and downstream development in the plantation sector.
According to information published on the official social media channel of the Directorate General of Estates (Ditjenbun) and cited by InfoSAWIT on Monday, July 27, 2026, the collaboration was formalized through the signing of a Cooperation Agreement (PKS) on the Development of Research and Technology for Sustainable Superior Plantation Crops in South Lampung. The initiative aims to enhance plantation productivity while promoting value-added downstream industries.
The agreement was signed at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, bringing together key stakeholders including the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the Lampung Provincial Government, the South Lampung Regency Government, PT Perkebunan Nusantara I (PTPN I), and Universitas Indonesia Mandiri.
The collaboration is designed to integrate research findings, technological innovation, and practical implementation in developing a sustainable plantation cluster in South Lampung. The government expects the partnership to accelerate the adoption of modern technologies that can directly improve plantation productivity and strengthen the global competitiveness of Indonesia's plantation commodities.
Under the agreement, the participating institutions will jointly develop strategic programs covering cultivation technology innovation, improved planting materials, human resource development, research commercialization, and downstream processing of high-value plantation commodities.
The initiative is expected to increase operational efficiency, improve product quality, enhance market competitiveness, and create new opportunities for plantation-based industries at the regional level.
Representing the Acting Director General of Estates, Iim Mucharam, Director of Oil Palm and Other Palm Crops, emphasized that sustainable development of Indonesia's plantation subsector requires strong collaboration among government agencies, businesses, universities, and research organizations to ensure that innovations are effectively implemented in the field.
According to Iim, cross-sector collaboration is essential for accelerating the transformation of Indonesia's plantation industry toward a more modern, efficient, and sustainable production system. Supported by targeted research, adaptive technologies, and broad stakeholder participation, the sector is expected to make a greater contribution to national economic growth while improving the welfare of plantation smallholders.
He added that the initiative also forms part of the government's broader effort to strengthen Indonesia's plantation innovation ecosystem by promoting more practical applications of research, ensuring that the development of strategic plantation commodities not only boosts production but also creates greater added value through downstream processing and regional industrial development. (T2)
