PALMOILMAGAZINE, BANJARBARU — The use of biochar, or activated charcoal made from empty fruit bunches (EFB) of oil palm, is gaining attention as an eco-friendly solution to reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers in oil palm plantations. With abundant raw materials available, this innovation holds great potential for smallholders and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the plantation sector.
According to Anwar Sadat, Senior Analyst for MSMEs and Cooperatives at the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP), biochar production offers both environmental and economic benefits. “This initiative provides a concrete solution for palm oil farmers to address rising production costs—especially for fertilizers—and stagnant plantation productivity,” Anwar said during the Biochar Production Practice from Empty Fruit Bunches as Soil Conditioner and Economically Valuable MSME Product event in Cinta Puri Village, Banjar District, South Kalimantan, on Thursday (October 16, 2025).
He explained that farmers can easily produce biochar themselves since EFB waste is widely available. “Indonesia generates around 40 million tons of EFB per day. This presents a major opportunity—not only to improve soil quality but also to open new business prospects for farmers,” he added.
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Anwar emphasized that BPDP remains committed to supporting the sustainability of Indonesia’s palm oil industry, particularly through MSME empowerment. Palm oil waste like EFB can be processed into biochar to improve the health of palm oil soils and even food crop lands. “Biochar products made by farmers under Aspekpir could also be promoted to companies or even international markets,” he said.
Roy Asnawie, Vice Chairman of the Association of Palm Oil Smallholders (Aspekpir), highlighted the great potential of palm oil waste when properly utilized. “Excessive use of chemical fertilizers has damaged much of our farmland. Biochar from empty fruit bunches can help restore soil fertility,” he explained.
He added that farmers have long used EFB as organic fertilizer by simply stacking it around palm trees, but biochar innovation can enhance its value. “Biochar benefits not only oil palm but also food and horticultural crops,” Roy noted.
Meanwhile, Abdul Basit, Head of Licensing at the Banjar District Agriculture Office, said the training was an important learning opportunity for farmers. “This is valuable knowledge. By using biochar, farmers can reduce dependency on expensive chemical fertilizers,” he said.
He also mentioned that Banjar District targets 3,000 hectares of new rice fields this year, which will require significant amounts of fertilizer. Therefore, turning palm oil waste into biochar is highly relevant. “Farmers can collaborate with palm oil mills like PT Palmina to obtain EFB materials,” he added.
Jayadi, Chairman of Aspekpir South Kalimantan, encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained from the training. “Don’t stop at theory—put biochar production into practice in your plantations,” he urged.
The event also featured academic and industry experts, including M. Mirza Arif Zainal from the Agathis Dammara Carbon Foundation and Arif Firmansyah, biochar practitioner and Director of PT Perfekta Lintas Semesta. The collaboration among BPDP, Aspekpir, and these experts is expected to accelerate the adoption of biochar technology among oil palm farmers. (P2)
