Indonesia Cabinet Secretariat held a focus group discussion (FGD) on the review of the implementation of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 6 of 2019 on the National Action Plan for Sustainable Palm Oil Plantations (RAN KSB) 2019-2024.
The first series of the discussion, which was held online, featured speakers such as Deputy for Investment to the Finance and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) Agustina Arumsari, Director of Food and Agriculture to the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Jarot Indarto, and academic and member of the expert team of North Sumatra Regional Implementation Team of the Action Plan for Sustainable Palm Oil Plantations (TPD RAP KSB) Diana Chalil.
“This series of FGD is one of the Government’s efforts to work systematically within the framework of an evidence-based policy cycle to improve the new National Action Plan for Sustainable Palm Oil Plantations policy instruments that we will push forward,” Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Economic Affairs Satya Bhakti Parikesit said in his remarks.
Bhakti stated that palm oil is the main commodity supporting Indonesia’s plantation subsector, contributing significantly to the national economy.
“Exports of palm oil and its derivatives amounted to US$35.16 billion or 12.7 percent of total non-oil and gas exports in 2022. Palm oil also absorbs 16.2 million direct and indirect workers. And third, it creates the self-sufficiency of biodiesel renewable energy for domestic market, reaching 12.2 million kiloliters by 2023,” he said.
Therefore, the Government continues to strive to improve the acceptance of Indonesian palm oil products in the global market. One of them is through the management of oil palm plantations that are becoming more environmentally friendly.
“This directive became the basis for the issuance of Presidential Instruction Number 6 of 2019 on the Action Plan for Sustainable Palm Oil Plantations for 2019-2024. This is a manifestation of the President’s concrete commitment as well as a form of consolidation of national palm oil policies, programs, and activities that are scattered in various ministries and institutions at the central government level and in various regional apparatus organizations [OPDs] in palm oil-producing regional governments,” he said.
However, Bhakti also admitted that towards the end of the implementation of the Presidential Instruction, the revamping of the national palm oil group system has not yet been completed. Therefore, strategy and commitment from all stakeholders are needed to ensure the sustainability of the policy implementation.
Bhakti also expressed hope that the results of the FGD can provide reinforcement in formulating policy recommendations related to the completion of the implementation of the national action plan for the 2019-2024 period as well as the sustainability of the national action plan in the future.
“Feedback from the speakers and active participation of the FGD participants are necessary to achieve the quality of precision policy recommendations, to answer various issues related to the implementation of the existing Presidential Instruction, and to improve the upcoming policy plan,” he said.
The FGD was attended by 85 participants consisting of employees and officials within Cabinet Secretariat and representatives from related ministries/institutions
