InfoSAWIT, PALEMBANG – A total of 128 independent oil palm smallholders from Musi Rawas Regency, South Sumatra, have completed an intensive cultivation training program designed to improve plantation productivity through the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). The initiative forms part of Indonesia's 2026 Oil Palm Plantation Human Resources Development Program.
According to an official statement obtained by InfoSAWIT on Wednesday (July 28), the program was organized by the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) in collaboration with the Directorate General of Estates (Ditjenbun) under the Ministry of Agriculture and IPB Training. The training was held from July 18 to August 2, 2026, at Beston Hotel in Palembang.
The participants were divided into four training batches and received comprehensive instruction combining classroom lectures, practical exercises, and field visits. The curriculum was designed to strengthen technical knowledge while equipping farmers with hands-on skills to manage plantations more efficiently and sustainably.
Representatives from the South Sumatra Provincial Plantation Office, Musi Rawas Regency Plantation Office, BPPSDMP, and the Directorate General of Estates attended the program's opening ceremony. Speakers emphasized that improving smallholder productivity depends not only on expanding plantation areas or distributing superior seedlings but also on enhancing farmers' technical competencies and their ability to adopt modern cultivation technologies.
Throughout the six-day program, participants studied plantation regulations, certified seed selection, nursery management, land preparation, planting techniques, crop maintenance, weed control, fertilization, and integrated pest and disease management. They also participated in practical sessions covering soil pH testing, seedling transfer techniques, sprayer calibration, fertilizer quality identification, and mechanized field operations.
To reinforce classroom learning, participants visited PT Dutareka Mandiri, where they observed best practices in nursery management, immature and mature plantation maintenance, and fresh fruit bunch (FFB) grading. The field sessions enabled farmers to gain firsthand experience in pruning, weed management, mechanization, and harvest quality assessment.
BPDP, the Directorate General of Estates, and IPB Training expect the graduates to apply the knowledge in their own plantations and share best practices with fellow farmers, contributing to higher productivity, improved fruit quality, and the long-term competitiveness of Indonesia's palm oil industry. (T2)
