![[SAWIT INDONESIA] ASIAN AGRI EXPLAINS HOW PALM OIL INDUSTRY IN INDONESIA INSPIRES AFRICA](https://www.asianagri.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Fadhil_Hasan_Asian_Agri.jpg)
The development of palm oil industry in Indonesia has been highly lauded by palm oil stakeholders in Africa.
Fadhil Hasan, Director of Asian Agri Corporate Affairs, said this during the 6th Africa Oil Palm & Rubber Summit which took place from May 8 to 9 in Abidjan, Niger.
The event focused on new investments in Africa’s palm oil and rubber markets, RSPO certification, sustainability, traceability, responsible sourcing and advanced farming techniques.
“Many Africans are eager to learn more from us about how to manage oil palm plantations,” Fadhil added.
He said that there are vast suitable areas for oil palm cultivation in Africa, especially in the Western part. Several large oil palm plantations and processing mills are already located in the region.
However, Fadhil said that it is not enough to rely on just geographic potential in developing the competitiveness of the oil palm industry in the global market.
A more significant aspect in managing oil palm plantations is to consistently train and develop human resources so they will expand their mindsets to have a wider vision about optimising productivity.
The other important aspect is to develop a partnership scheme which will increase smallholders’ prosperity as well as educate them on sustainable principles, just like the One to One Partnership Commitment which Asian Agri has carried out.
Fadhil said that a good partnership is one where the company can motivate and assist their partner smallholders to ceaselessly implement the best plantation management principles so that they can achieve and preserve sustainable palm oil certification.
Those methods can be the answer to the challenges which hamper the future of the sustainable oil palm industry in Africa, Fadhil said.
