Sukron is bringing his Computer Science background to oil palm farming, and hopes to inspire his generation to see agriculture as a path to innovation and economic change
Leaving his family’s oil palm plantation in Siak Regency, Riau, Sukron joined a growing number of young people seeking higher education, pursuing a Computer Science degree in Aceh. During his home visits, he witnessed firsthand the stagnation problems in local plantations, including his family’s, where productivity was declining. Sukron saw digitalization as a solution. “Young people see palm oil as outdated, and they are reluctant to enter this industry,” he notes. “But it’s up to our generation to modernize the industry through technology.”
After earning his degree, Sukron returned to Siak and took over his parents’ plantation. Today, the 34-year-old serves as the Head of Bakti Mandiri Cooperative, a group of more than 400 oil palm smallholders, cultivating nearly 1,000 hectares of land. “I thought to myself: in addition to taking over my parents’ plantation, I want to lead this cooperative and set an example of how young people can drive economic change,” he says.
Digitalisation for the cooperative is a work in progress. “We need to do things step by step. I’m starting with developing a website that has a work programme that will give smallholders access to data, making work more transparent and efficient,” he says.
A Collaborative Approach for Re-planting
Re-planting is also an issue Sukron has to manage as head of the cooperative. “We need to consider costs as doing it ourselves is extremely cost heavy. This is why I am grateful with the support from Asian Agri.”
Asian Agri provides essential support for those in the cooperative going through replanting by helping them manage costs, stay on schedule, and set clear deadlines for completion.
In addition, access to Topaz seedlings, provided by Asian Agri, has been instrumental in helping smallholders navigate the challenges of re-planting. ‘Topaz seeds are particularly beneficial, with harvestable yields as early as the third year. This collaborative approach has been proven to be highly effective,’ shared Sukron in a previous interview with Kumparan.
“Combining my computer science training with my parents’ deep knowledge of the palm oil industry has been invaluable,” Sukron reflects. “In this digital age, there’s enormous potential for young people in this sector, especially with partners like Asian Agri that have dedicated programs that truly benefit smallholders.”
