For two days (June 14-15th), IPB University’s Palm Oil Study Center held a National Seminar and Workshop on Palm Oil for Advanced Biomaterials (Seminar Nasional Kelapa Sawit untuk Biomaterial Maju) which was held at IPB International Convention Center (IICC), Bogor.

This activity is a national discussion forum attended by lecturers, university researchers, the National Innovation Research Agency (BRIN), manufacturing industry practitioners, State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), start-up companies, students, farmer groups, Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes), community empowerment organization in the oil palm plantation village circle.

Prof. Agus Purwito, Secretary of the IPB University, appreciated this national seminar and workshop. According to him, IPB University is very interested in the development of advanced materials. “It should be known together that this advanced material can come from the sea or from the Indonesian seabed,” he said. He added that Indonesia as a tropical country with a wide variety of plants, is a source of advanced materials that are needed for human life in the future.

“Oil palm is a leading commodity for Indonesia which significantly increases the prosperity of the Indonesian people,” said Prof. Agus.

This was also supported by Prof. Budi Mulyanto the Head of the IPB University Center for Palm Oil Studies, who hoped that through this activity, the function of oil palm could continue to contribute to the development of the national palm oil industry. This is expected to have an impact on the development of competent human resources. “In the end, it can also make a real contribution to developing the role of oil palm for the sustainable development and prosperity of Indonesia,”

Dr. Siti Nikmatin is a lecturer at IPB University who is now focusing on research on oil palm. Her research relates to the utilization of empty palm oil fruit bunches (tandan kosong – tankos) biomass to make advanced biomaterial products

“The IPB University Center for Palm Oil Studies is very supportive of all needs related to research from upstream to the commercialization of the use of oil palm for advanced biomaterials,” added Dr. Siti Nikmatin who is also the chief executive of this activity.

On that occasion, Ir Didik Prasetyo, MH, Director of PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) VIII said that his party had so far established cooperative relationships with a number of universities, one of which was IPB University. PTPN VIII is committed to fully supporting palm oil research activities conducted by IPB University, he said.

“We have also collaborated on several activities, one of which is research on raw materials for helmets from tankos, then raw materials for bullet-proof vests also from tankos and long fibers. We fully support that,” he said.

Apart from Ir Didik Prasetyo, MH, the speakers who also gave a presentation were Dr Tony Liwang (Research and Development Committee of the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency/BPDPKS), Rapolo Hutabarat (Head of the Agro-Industry Association of Indonesian Palm Oil Entrepreneurs Association/GAPKI), Edi Rivai ( Director of PT Chandra Asri Petrochemical Tbk), Yudi Hidayat, ST (Manager of PT PLN Indonesia Power), Prof. Mochamad Chalid (Researcher of metallurgical and materials engineering at the University of Indonesia), Dr. Rike Yudianti (Researcher of BRIN). The activity was guided by two moderators from IPB University namely, Dr. Suwardi (Lecturer in the Department of Soil Science and Land Resources) and Dr. Nyoto Santoso (Chairman of the Department of Forest Resource Conservation and Ecotourism).

This news is translated from IPB Today published in June19th, 2023