Haze: Sime Darby calls for proactive measures to fight haze

The Star 28 Jun 13;

PETALING JAYA: Sime Darby Plantations says haze-causing fires in Sumatra were not from areas planted by its subsidiary.

It said in a statement Friday that between June 11 and 19, five hot spots were found on land within the concession area of PT Bhumireksa Nusa Sejati (PT BNS), a company owned by PT Minamas Gemilang, a subsidiary of Sime Darby Plantation.

However, examination of satellite data and on ground assessment teams established that these fires were not in areas planted by the company.

Sime Darby Plantation managing director Datuk Franki Anthony Dass said to address the current issue of haze from fires in Riau Province in Sumatra, Indonesia, and its causes, PT Minamas Gemilang called on all other stakeholders to enter into constructive dialogue to find a sustainable solution to the problem.

“It is time for all stakeholders to work together to find a way to address what has become an annual problem of the haze, and the tremendous toll it takes on the environment and the health of affected communities on both sides of the Straits of Malacca,” he said.

“On our part, PT Minamas would be happy to assist and participate in any constructive discussion on this matter.

"Local communities, civil society groups, academics and other companies operating in affected areas should offer technical assistance and support to the Government of Indonesia to study the issues and address the root causes of the problem,” Dass added.

Sime Darby said among the issues that would need to be addressed include:

(1) the responsibilities of different stakeholders;

(2) how various stakeholder groups can work together to prevent future occurrences;

(3) legal issues pertaining to land use and occupation;

(4) best agricultural management practices.

The statement said fires in the Riau Province have resulted in a hazardous smog blanketing Singapore, parts of Malaysia and southern Thailand and the Indonesian authorities have long sought a solution to this annual problem.

Local communities plant a variety of cash crops such as corn and sugar cane, the statement said.

Under current regulations and conventions dealing with local communities and the preservation of traditional farming methods, concession holders are unable to control or influence the practices and activities of these communities.

“PT Minamas has conducted awareness programmes on the negative impact of slash and burn activities on local communities in the peat areas.

"It intends to intensify this awareness programme together with other plantation companies and local authorities,” Dass said.

Sime Darby Plantation, the world's largest producer of certified sustainable palm oil, has had a zero burning policy since 1985.

In Indonesia, 20 of the company's 25 mills under PT Minamas have been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

The RSPO is a voluntary certification body, whose members include civil society groups and players along the entire palm oil value chain.

“There are several companies within the palm oil industry who observe high agricultural standards.

"As an industry, we could contribute significantly to discussions on how to solve this problem,” Dass said.

For its part, Sime Darby Plantation and PT Minamas would bring to the table, more than 100 years of expertise in best agricultural practices backed by cutting edge R&D capabilities, experience in establishing responsible and successful outgrowers' schemes and experience in the management of land, on both peat and non-peat soil.

Sime Darby Plantation has studied two other areas, one where the company is managing an area cultivated on peat land by local communities under the plasma, or outgrowers' scheme, and another where it had acquired a plantation established on peat soil.

In the first area in Jambi, South Sumatra, local farmers, under the plasma scheme, plant oil palm but are exposed to and educated in the company's best agricultural policies.

In the other area in Lavang, Sarawak, Malaysia, Sime Darby Plantation manages a small estate in which no fires have been recorded since the inception of planting in the mid 1990s as a result of efficient water table management, encouraging beneficial vegetation to protect the soil and strict adherence to the company's policies.

“Out in Riau, our officials and fire fighting teams are already assisting the local authorities and communities to spot and put out fires,” Dass said.

“However, for the longer term, sustainable solutions that do not undermine the rights of local communities and traditional farming methods need to be found. For this to be effective, we need multi-stakeholder discussions.”

In 2008, Sime Darby Plantation implemented a strict policy prohibiting the clearing of peat areas. Existing areas that were cleared before the implementation of policy are carefully managed to ensure that there is minimal environmental impact.

Fires started by locals within concession areas, says Sime Darby
The Star 30 Jun 13;

KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Plantation has confirmed that five hotspots were detected from June 11 to 19 in concession areas of PT Bhumireksa Nusa Sejati, a company owned by PT Minamas Gemilang, in Riau province, Sumatra.

However, it said based on satellite data and on-the-ground assessment, the fires were not in areas planted by the company.

“Local communities in these areas plant a variety of cash crops such as corn and sugar cane.

“Under current regulations and conventions dealing with local communities and the preservation of traditional farming methods, concession holders are unable to control or influence the practices and activities of these communities,” Sime Darby Plantation managing director Datuk Franki Anthony Dass said.

PT Minamas is a subsidiary of Sime Darby Plantation and is one of the largest players in the Indonesian plantation industry.

Dass said officials and fire-fighting teams were already assisting local authorities and communities to spot and put out the fires.

He said PT Minamas had conducted awareness programmes with local communities on the negative impact of slash-and-burn activities in peat areas and would intensify these together with other plantation companies and local authorities.

“However, for the longer term, sustainable solutions that do not undermine the rights of local communities and traditional farming methods need to be found. For this to be effective, we need multi-stakeholder discussions,’’ he added.

Dass said PT Minamas had called on all other stakeholders to enter constructive dialogue to find a sustainable solution to address the haze issue proactively.

“It is time for all stakeholders to work together to find a way to address what has become an annual affair and the tremendous toll it takes on the environment and the health of the affected communities on both sides of the Straits of Malacca,’’ he added.

He said local communities, civil society groups, academics and other companies operating in the affected areas should offer technical assistance and support to the Indonesian Government to address the root causes of the problem, but added that these solutions should not undermine the rights of local communities and traditional farming methods.

Dass said 20 of the company’s mills under PT Minamas were certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as businesses that observed high agricultural standards.

Sime Darby Plantation, the world’s largest producer of certified sustainable palm oil, has maintained a zero-burning policy since 1985.

'Work together to tackle haze problem'
New Straits Times 28 Jun 13;

KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Plantation has urged all stakeholders to enter into constructive dialogue to find a solution to the haze problem from fires in Riau, Sumatra, Indonesia.

Its managing director, Datuk Franki Anthony Dass, said: "It is time for all stakeholders to work together to find a way to address what has become an annual problem."

PT Minamas, a subsidiary of Sime Darby Plantation, is one of the largest palm oil players in Indonesia, with operations in Riau.

"On our part, PT Minamas will be happy to assist and participate in any constructive discussion on the matter. Local communities, civil society groups, academicians and other companies operating in the affected areas should offer their technical assistance and support to address the root causes of the problem."

He said among the issues needed to be addressed were:

THE responsibilities of different stakeholders;

HOW various stakeholder groups could work together to prevent future occurrences;

LEGAL issues pertaining to land use and occupation; and,

BEST agricultural management practices.

Fires in Riau had resulted in haze engulfing Singapore, parts of Malaysia and southern Thailand.

Between June 11 and 19, five hot spots were detected in the concession area of PT Bhumireksa Nusa Sejati (PT BNS), a company owned by PT Minamas.

Satellite data examination and ground assessment teams had established that the fires were not in the company's plantations.

Local communities in these areas plant a variety of cash crops, such as corn and sugar cane. Under the current regulations and conventions, concession holders are unable to control or influence the practices and activities of these communities.

"PT Minamas has conducted awareness programmes on the negative impact of slash and burn activities by local communities in peat areas. It intends to intensify such programmes together with other companies and the local authorities."

He said company officials and fire fighting teams in Riau were assisting the local authorities to spot and put out fires.

Read more: 'Work together to tackle haze problem' - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/work-together-to-tackle-haze-problem-1.309859#ixzz2XYoibwv7


Sustainable Palm Oil Project in Kalimantan
Jakarta Globe 28 Jun 13;

An international climate change think tank has teamed up with an Indonesian university to continue sustainable palm oil projects in Central Kalimantan.

The focus of the initiative will be on evidence-based reporting in order to quantify the success of sustainable palm oil projects.

In a statement released on Friday, the Climate Policy Initiative and the University of Palangka Raya announced the analytical program, which will support the “production and protection program” through an initial three-year, $1.6 million grant from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.

Earlier this year palm oil planters denounced a two-year, forest-clearing moratorium, extended in May, saying it had throttled palm oil production and urged the government against its extension.

The moratorium, which went into force in May 2011, was imposed as part of a deal with the Norwegian government in which Norway would provide $1 billion to Indonesia for programs to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).

This new initiative builds on the work of Central Kalimantan’s action plan for green house gases, the REDD strategy, the province’s ground-breaking regulations on sustainable palm oil, and the governor’s own policies.

“CPI and UNPAR will use the funds in partnership with local stakeholders to support the government of Central Kalimantan’s vision for strong green growth underpinned by a high-yield, low environmental-impact oil palm sector,” the think tank’s statement said.

Yusurum Jagau, the dean of UNPAR’s School of Agriculture, said the university hoped to “develop a model for achieving Central Kalimantan’s goals of strong economic growth for businesses and communities, while protecting valuable natural resources, that can be used for a model for other regions in Indonesia.”

“We look forward to working with CPI to provide robust analysis that will support Central Kalimantan’s Green Growth Strategy, increase output of its most important agricultural product, palm oil, relocate palm oil production onto suitable low-carbon lands, and maintain critical natural resources necessary for future economic development,” he said.

Under the initiative, research will be conducted locally by teams at a new Center of Excellence, based in the agriculture school, in close consultation with communities, businesses and government decision makers, to identify options that increase agricultural productivity, expand the use of degraded lands, and protect high conservation value areas.

“The right policies and programs are essential to drive investment in ways that optimize Indonesia’s natural resources and underpin long-term growth and prosperity,” said Thomas C. Heller, the CPI executive director.

“The governor of Central Kalimantan has created a working group consisting of government, business, academia, and civil society representatives who will advise the local government on policy to achieve green growth with palm oil,” it said.


Kadin asks research, technology ministry to study Riau`s haze
Antara 28 Jun 13;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has asked the Ministry of Research and Technology to study land fires producing haze in eight districts in Riau.

"Riau is a province which has peat lands. Its topographic characters show that the thickness of its peat land can reach tens of meters which enable the ember to stay dormant underneath," Muhammad Herwan, executive director of Kadin for Riau, said here on Friday.

He said that this condition enabled the ember of land and forest fires in previous years to stay and could not be put out at the bottom of the peat land.

Muhammad said artificial rain made to extinguish the fires could only put out fires on the land surface. But the source of fire under the surface some tens of meters of peat land is still there which could easily come to the surface during the dry season.

"There are no deliberate efforts to burn lands, particularly domestic and foreign investors. The fire came to the surface due to hot weather and was ignited by strong winds, just like fires that burn chaff," he said.

He said that this should be study closely by the ministry of research and technology and the palm oil plantations to prove this analysis.

"If it is true, technology that could prevent it or overcome it should be found so that the ember that often stay could really be fought in the bud and forest fires would no longer recur when the dry season takes place," the Kadin official said.

Riau Deputy Governor HR Mambang Mit said last week that about 3,700 hectares of land in Riau Province had been burnt. The worst fires took place in three districts sharing direct borders with Singapore and Malaysia.

"The worst land fires took place in the districts of Rokan Hilir, Kota Dumai and Bengkalis," the deputy governor said.

In efforts to put out forest fires in Riau Province, the government has set a total of Rp100 billion to be allocated for making rain, procuring materials and providing planes to conduct water bombing.

"The government would lease planes from Korea and Russia that are able to carry 4,000 to 5,000 liters of water for water bombing operations," Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono said after a coordination meeting to discuss the problem here on Thursday.

In the meantime, Minister Agung Laksono said that whoever was proven involved in oil palm land fires in Raiu Province would be taken to court and punished.

"Guilty companies, regardless of whether their owners come from Indonesia, Malaysia or Singapore, will be acted upon and taken to court," Agung Laksono said on Thursday.

He said that if they were proven to have burned forests, the companies and their owners were to be acted upon. The companies could have their permits revoked and their owners were charged with crime. The punishment would be meted out by the court based facts found in the fields.

Agung said that now investigation in the field was still going on. Police were also still working hard to investigate the problem based on the request of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"I heard this morning that the team in the field had found several pieces of evidence and data such as burning tools in the locations. They will all become evidence in the court. But I could not yet reveal details about it," the coordinating minister said.

Therefore, he could not yet explain the kind of violations that had been taking place in the field. However, if fires were found on lands which would be transformed into palm oil plantations there must be parties who should be responsible.(*)

Editor: Heru