BPDPKS Calls on Journalists to Disseminate Information about Sustainable Palm Oil

This year, the program was carried out in three batches. The fellowship will be awarded to only ten journalists in each batch. Attendees at the first batch, held from 29 to 30 July 2020, were Mutia Fauzia from Kompas.com, Doni Hermawan from IDN Times, Dina Angelina from Kaltim Post, Muhammad Iqbal from Riau24.com, Venny Suryanto from Kontan.co.id, Eko Kurniawan from Waspada.co.id, Tira Santia from Liputan6.com, Yessi Artada from JPNN.com, and two other journalists from Okezone.com, and Kumparan.com.

Differently from previous one, the current program was held online using virtual meeting flatform due to COVID-19 pandemic. The program had the presence of some speakers including Rusman Heriawan, Chairman of BPDPKS Board of Trustees Rusman Heriawan who delivered a presentation on BPDPKS efforts to support sustainable palm oil, Chairman of Indonesian Press Council for Institution and International Relation who spoke about press nationalism in supporting economic.

A topic on environment was presented by Yanto Santosa, a professor at IPB University. Care taker of Deputy Assistant for Plantations and Horticulture at Coordinating Economic Ministry Muhammad Saifulloh shared latest updates on palm oil contribution to Indoensia’s economic growth and national energy security.

Representing businesses, Bandung Sahari from the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) spoke about sustainability aspect of palm oil. A topic on energy aspect of palm oil was presented by Paulus Tjakrawan, co-Chairman of the Indonesian Biofuel Producers (Aprobi).

BPDPKS expected journalists to take advantages of this program to boost their knowledge and expertise in reporting news about palm oil. The program also offers participant to carry out research to gather data and information in order to create journalistic products. BPDPKS also expected the program can inspire journalists to disseminate information about sustainable palm oil. ***