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Jakarta, December 12, 2024 – PT Bio Inti Agrindo (PT BIA) has earned prestigious accolade at Sawit Indonesia Awards 2024, held at the Royal Hotel Kuningan, Jakarta. The company was honoured in the category of Collaboration for Papua Community Empowerment, recognizing its commitment to sustainable development and the empowerment of local communities in Papua.

The Sawit Indonesia Awards is an annual event that celebrates key contributors in the palm oil industry and its supporting sectors for their significant role in advancing the industry. This year’s event was attended by the Indonesian Ministry of Industry’s Dr. Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, M.Si, represented by Director General of Plantations Heru Tri Widarto, S.Si., M.Sc.

Head of ESG at PT Bio Inti Agrindo, Bae Gyutae, Ph.D. who attended to receive the award, expressed his gratitude to all parties supporting the company. “This award motivates us to continue the development program of community in Indonesia, particularly through empowering the communities in Papua,” he stated.

Since 2016, the company has gradually developed plasma plantations, completing the initiative 100% by 2021. This activity has proven to enhance the local economy, with the average income from plasma plantations equaling the Regional Minimum Wage (UMR) of Merauke each month. Communities receive intensive assistance from the company, starting from the establishment of cooperatives, technical training in plantation management, financial management, and benchmark studies to successful plasma cooperatives in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Additionally, the company is driving increased average incomes in villages near the company’s operations, such as Selil, Kindiki, and Muting. These initiatives are a result of collaboration between PT Bio Inti Agrindo (PT BIA), the Merauke Regency Government, and the Village Community Empowerment and Development Program (P3MD). The efforts include holistic interventions starting with socio-economic studies and sustainable livelihood analysis through participatory rural appraisal (PRA) conducted in 2022. These studies identified resource potentials, needs, and technologies to support economic activities in the villages. PT BIA deploys village facilitators for a minimum of 12 months, focusing on community education, technical training for product development, financial governance, and product marketing. Additionally, the company assists in establishing Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes), known as BUMK/BumKam in Papua, with three BUMKs currently operating successfully.

Products from PT BIA’s partner villages include dried fish, smoked fish, fresh fish, Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO), noken bags, wet crackers, and various crops. These products are not only aimed at increasing income but also improving daily nutrition and local food security.
In addition to economic support, PT BIA has programs addressing stunting and improving literacy in the same villages. PT BIA aspires to grow and thrive alongside the communities it serves.