Pekanbaru, 29 June 2021 – In spite of the restrictions in the midst of the pandemic, Asian Agri continues to raise awareness on forest and land fires during the second period of the dry season. The company conducted a virtual Forest and Land Fire Management Training for the company’s Fire Team. The training session had 70 participants from Asian Agri’s business units in North Sumatra and Riau.
Asian Agri, a plantation company part of the Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) group, regularly conduct training to prevent forest and land fires in the company’s operation areas. The latest instalment took place on 17 June 2021, thanks to a collaboration with Manggala Agni Riau, Riau Islands and West Sumatra, and also Manggala Agni Sumatra VI region.
On of the trainers Edwin SHUT, MI, Regional Coordinator of Manggala Agni Riau, Riau Islands and West Sumatra expressed appreciation for Asian Agri’s dedication to fire management training and overall commitment to fire-free landscapes.
“We are grateful for Asian Agri’s commitment to preventing forest and land fires. The training is carried out in accordance with government regulations, and prepares communities for the second phase of the dry season from June to October. We hope this activity can effectively prevent forest and land fires,” said Edwin.
Ihsan Abdillah, Kadaops Manggala Agni Sumatra VI Region, similarly expressed appreciation for Asian Agri’s efforts.
“Asian Agri is a company that is always committed to preventing forest and land fires, we see firsthand that the training programs are very consistent and we hope for continued cooperation between the company and institutions,” he added.
Hafiz Hazalin Sinaga, Manager of Asian Agri Fire Free Village (FFVP) added that the training helped to improve the ability of the company’s Core Fire Team in preventing forest and land fires.
“One key to the success of forest and land fire prevention is to increase the ability, knowledge and understanding of our team. We achieve this through the core team’s consistent training ahead of the dry season in the second half of 2021. This way, Asian Agri can remain effective in our fire prevention efforts,” he said.
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
