PALMOILMAGAZINE, PONTIANAK – Strengthening the downstream value chain of Indonesia’s plantation sector once again took center stage during the working visit of Acting Director General of Plantations, Abdul Roni Angkat, to the Plantation Crop Protection Center (BPTP) in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Friday (Aug 22). Roni underscored that adaptive and high-quality human resources (HR) are the foundation for achieving success in downstream development.
The visit also served as an opportunity to review BPTP’s facilities and infrastructure, as well as to provide direct guidance to staff. According to Roni, strengthening local institutions is crucial to ensure consistent and sustainable downstream implementation at the regional level.
In his address, Roni highlighted the importance of developing pest mitigation methods for key plantation commodities such as coconut, coffee, cocoa, sugarcane, pepper, nutmeg, and cashew. Such measures, he said, would safeguard the quality of raw materials needed by downstream industries.
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“We must quickly map out and compile comprehensive pest mitigation methods. These guidelines will be vital for farmers to maintain optimal harvests. Healthy crops are the backbone of successful downstreaming,” he stated, as quoted by beige-heron-208544.hostingersite.com from the official DitjenBun Facebook page (Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025).
Roni further instructed all units within the Directorate General of Plantations, including regional offices like BPTP Pontianak, to prepare to support downstream programs across provinces. He stressed that strengthening HR capacity is critical—whether through formal education or technical training.
“We need staff who are willing to keep learning, adaptive, and highly competitive,” he emphasized.
Beyond skills, Roni also underlined the importance of teamwork and integrity in government service. “We must move as one team, working honestly, with integrity and sincerity. With that spirit, our work will not only be of high quality but also deliver real benefits to society,” he concluded. (P2)
