Asahan, 4 June 2021 – Through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, Asian Agri business units PT Gunung Melayu and PT Saudara Sejati Luhur (PT GM and PT SSL) continue to improve the economic potential of rural communities near the company’s operation areas, this time donating 225 laying ducks to three villages.
“Asian Agri, a plantation company part of the Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) group, continuously supports the improvement of the social and economic well-being of its communities through community and economic empowerment programs.
PT GM and PT SSL donated laying ducks to the underprivileged people in three villages: 100 ducks in Batu Anam Village, 40 ducks in Sidomulyo Village and 85 ducks in Gonting Malaha Village.
Manager of Kebun Pulau, Maria Frank SE Nadeak, Manager of Batu Anam Plantation, M. Qaddafi Panjaitan and CSR Coordinator of Asian Agri North Sumatra, Aris Yuneidi were present at the hand-over ceremony.
Manager of PT GM & PT SSL Kebun Pulau, Maria Frank SE Nadeak said the assistance represented an effort by the company to support the community in improving the community’s economic well-being, especially for the underprivileged.
“Usually we provide basic food assistance for the underprivileged in welcoming Eid al Fitr, now we have adapted our approach to support economic empowerment by giving laying ducks as a more sustainable economic solution that can uplift lives. We have coordinated with the village authorities and community leaders and we are heartened by their support.” he said.
Manager of Batu Anam Plantation, M Qaddafi Panjaitan, said that in addition to getting assistance in the form of laying ducks, the company will also subsidize the feed until the ducks can produce eggs.
“We use a profit-sharing system between the custodians and the underprivileged people, the beneficiaries. Apart from the operational costs, the profits will be shared 50:50 between the custodians and the beneficiaries. This is so that the beneficiaries can earn a sustainable income. The donated ducks are about 5 months old, about 20 days from laying eggs, and the company provides further assistance in the form of feed during this pre-laying period. We hope that once the ducks start laying eggs, the community can independently manage their operations,” Qaddafi added.
Responding to the assistance from this company, Sunardi, the Village Head of Sidomulyo explained that the initial challenges faced by the community pertained to the change in approach.
“Initially, there was a resistance in the community regarding the changes in this approach. People who usually receive the assistance in the form of basic food packages, now will receive livestock. We explained that the objective of this program is so that the community has their own sustainable income. We would like to thank PT GM and PT SSL for providing this assistance in empowering the economy of this community. We all hope this program can continue and uplift the livelihood for our village communities, especially for the needy,” Sunardi, Head of Sidomulyo Village explained.
PT GM and PT SSL are Asian Agri business units. Every year, Asian Agri conducts CSR programs providing assistance to villages around the company’s operation areas, including providing food packages for needy people on Eid al-Fitr and Christmas, road repairs, community economic improvement, donation for schools, the environment, health checks, mass circumcision and others. The gift of laying ducks is just one of many means of uplifting lives and livelihoods.
“The company works with the village to educate the community to be productive and independent, so that their economic potential can be raised. We hope that this assistance will continue, and not only be limited to duck eggs, but the community would be able to breed their own laying duck, grow a salted egg business, manufacture alternative feeds and others,” Aris added.
About Asian Agri:
Asian Agri is one of Indonesia’s largest palm oil producers. Founded in 1979, the company today manages 100,000 hectares of plantation land and employs over 25,000 people. A pioneer of the Indonesian government’s Trans-National Government Migration (PIR-Trans) program, Asian Agri currently works with 30,000 Plasma Scheme smallholders in Riau and Jambi who operate 60,000 hectares of palm oil plantations, and independent smallholders who manage a total 41,000 hectares.
Implementing a strict “no burn” policy since 1994 and best practices in sustainable plantation management, Asian Agri has helped its smallholder partners improve productivity, yield and supply chain traceability, while assisting them obtain certifications. The company’s mills are technologically advanced and energy self-sufficient, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
Asian Agri (PT Inti Indosawit Subur) is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) since 2006. More than 86% of its owned plantations in North Sumatra, Riau & Jambi provinces and 100% of Plasma Scheme smallholder plantations in Riau & Jambi provinces have been RSPO certified. All its owned plantations and those owned by scheme smallholders ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) certified since 2014. In 2019, the company also achieved 100% ISPO (Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil) certification.
The company’s operations are ISO 14001 certified, while its Learning Institute and nursery research center in Riau province, Indonesia are both ISO 9001 certified. Asian Agri’s laboratory at the Center for Research and Development in Tebing Tinggi is accredited by the National Accreditation Committee under the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC MRA).
Lidya Veronica
Media Relations
E-mail: lidya_veronika@www.asianagri.com
