Palu (ANTARA) – PT Astra Agro Lestari Tbk, in collaboration with the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries, is encouraging independent smallholder oil palm farmers in Pasangkayu Regency to adopt sustainable practices through a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training held on April 28–29, 2026.
The initiative aims to improve productivity while promoting sustainable plantation practices among farmers.
“This training is expected to enhance participants’ technical skills while strengthening their understanding of efficiency and sustainability in plantation management,” said Antonius Yudi Trucapnya in a written statement received in Palu on Tuesday.
He emphasized that improving farmers’ capacity is key to boosting productivity and ensuring the sustainability of the palm oil industry, particularly for smallholders who play an essential role in the global supply chain.
“Farmers have a strategic role in the global palm oil industry. Through training like this, we hope they can adopt better, more productive, and sustainable cultivation practices,” he added.
Head of the Plantation and Agriculture Office of Pasangkayu Regency, Abidin, expressed appreciation for the training provided by CPOPC and Astra Agro Lestari Group.
Enhancing farmers’ capacity is seen as a strategic step to strengthen productivity and efficiency.
“Developing farmers’ capacity through the implementation of good agricultural practices is key to improving productivity, efficiency, and the competitiveness of local farmers,” he said.
One of the participants, Idris Lambang from the Bina Bersama Lestari Farmer Group, stated that the training was highly beneficial in expanding knowledge of proper and sustainable oil palm cultivation practices.
“This training is very useful for us as farmers. We now better understand how to properly manage oil palm, from planting to maintenance, so that yields can be optimized,” he said.
A similar view was expressed by Cahyo Kurniawan, representing Astra Agro Lestari’s Sulawesi regional management. He noted that the program aims to improve farmers’ understanding of sustainable oil palm cultivation practices and reaffirm the important role of farmers within the plantation ecosystem, particularly in West Sulawesi.
“We invited farmer group partners around our plantation areas, especially in Pasangkayu, as part of our commitment to help farmers understand and implement proper cultivation practices. We hope this training can support productivity in independent smallholder plantations,” he concluded.
For context, Pasangkayu Regency recently received recognition as the region with the highest economic growth in West Sulawesi during the Musrenbang RKPD 2027 (held in April 2026), reflecting its strong development performance.
The plantation sector—particularly oil palm (CPO and its derivatives)—serves as the main driver of the local economy, making Pasangkayu a key contributor to the growth of the agricultural sector in West Sulawesi.
Source: sulteng.antaranews.com
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