Foreign Ministry Sends Diplomats to Oil Palm Plantation

BELITUNG—Another training session on palm oil topic has been held by Training Center of Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to expand the knowledge base of senior diplomats on sustainable palm oil. The Senior Diplomatic Training Course (Sesparlu) Batch 63 was held at the Training Center of PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya Tbk (PT ANJ)  in Belitung, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, 14 to 16 November 2019. Apart from attending class session, diplomats who participated in the program also made a visit to oil palm plantation of PT ANJ. Head of Corporate Affairs of the Indonesia Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) Achmad Maulizal Sutawijaya delivered opening remark elaborating current palm oil industry performance in the context of international trade. He also laid stress on BPDPKS’s effort to support market expansion to non-traditional countries. Topics on sustainable palm oil were addressed by speakers from reputable universities including Yanto Santosa, a professor at IPB University, who delivered a presentation on palm oil in the context of forestry.  He stated the oil palm plantations were not the major cause of forest loss and deforestation in Indonesia. Palm oil in the context of health was addressed by Ambar Rukmini, a professor of food and nutrition science at Widya Mataram Yogyakarta University. The session also had a presence of Agam Fatchurrochman, General Secreatry of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) who spoke about trade and Pamungkas Trishadiatmoko, Vice President of Indonesian Gastronomy Association (IGA) who spoke about gastronomy. Participants also improved their knowledge on key sustainability issues in palm oil industry, from seedling management, planting, to waste management system. At the plantation, the diplomats witnessed sustainable palm oil management from selecting seeds, fertilization, and harvesting. They also witnessed crude palm oil (CPO) production which is derived from fresh fruit bunches (FFB). They also observed a process of waste management system that utilize palm oil mills wastes to produce biogas for use in a gas engine. This will produce electrical power, replacing diesel generators. Sesparlu is the highest diplomatic training at MoFA Indonesia. Senior diplomats taking part in the program have spent at least 15 years at the Ministry and have been posted twice at overseas Indonesian Missions. **