Fires are a major threat to sustainably managed plantations, annihilating assets that took years to grow and nurture. Recognising the danger and damage that fires cause, and keenly aware that a ground-up, partnership approach is needed in order for any solution to be effective, APRIL established the Fire-Free Village Programme (FFVP) in 2015. FFVP started […]
Fire Free Alliance Checks Forest Fire & Haze in Over 200 Indonesian Villages
The Birth of the Fire Free Alliance The Fire Free Alliance (FFA) marked its first anniversary this week in conjunction with Responsible Business Forum Jakarta, taking stock of the remarkable progress it has made over the past year and the work that remains ahead. Launched on 29 February 2016, FFA started with founding members APRIL, Asian Agri, […]
Second Generation Tanoto Continues Parents’ Legacy
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on NUS Giving. Reprinted with permission. Ms Belinda Tanoto strongly believes in spending a lot of time with stakeholders on the ground to discover the real issues that can help shape philanthropic strategy. The youngest daughter of Mr Sukanto Tanoto and Mrs Tinah Bingei Tanoto serves as a Trustee […]
[Guest Blog] Reflections on Project Sukacita V by Tanoto Foundation Scholar at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Editor’s Note: This article, contributed by Jaron Koh Jun Jie, a MBBS Phase II student at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, first appeared in the Feb 2017 edition of MediCine Newsletter. Jaron Koh is a Tanoto Foundation Scholar who participated in Project Sukacita V, using his medical knowledge to conduct health screening & lessons […]
Asian Agri’s Integrated Pest Management Program using Owls & Hibiscus Flowers
With 27 oil palm estates in Riau, Jambi and North Sumatra totaling 160,000 hectares of land of which 60,000 are smallholder estates, Asian Agri together with its smallholder farmers represent one of Indonesia’s leading palm oil businesses. But along with vast plantations and fertile conditions inevitably come pests such as rats and caterpillars. Recognising that […]
Ecosystem Restoration: A Salute to the Field Teams at Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER)
Editor’s Note: This article was first published on April Dialog. Dr Tony Whitten is Regional Director, Asia Pacific, Fauna & Flora International (FFI). FFI is RER’s technical partner, managing key elements of the project as they relate to biodiversity, climate and communities. As part of its role, it has released an important report, detailing Biodiversity on the Kampar […]
APRIL’s Doodle Competition Adds Creative Expressions in Caring for the Climate
Indonesians from all walks of life cranked their creativity for the inaugural APRIL Caring for the Climate Doodle Competition held in Dec 2016. APRIL, one of the largest and most technologically advanced pulp and paper products makers in the world, canvassed the public for creative expressions along the theme of “PT RAPP Good for Climate.” […]
[Guest Blog] Reflections from Community Service Expedition to Desa Tambakrejo
Misi Kami Peduli (MKP) 2016, Mission We Care, was a community service expedition organized by Indonesian students at the National University of Singapore. As part of the MKP 2016 team, I travelled to Desa Tambakrejo, a rural village in East Java, Indonesia in Dec 2016. It was a fulfilling journey for me and my team […]
World Economic Forum 2017: Highlights from Davos
Each year in January, the normally sedate Davos, population 11,000, sees an influx of visitors when the World Economic Forum (WEF) holds its flagship Annual Meeting in the alpine resort town located in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. Since 2015, RGE has participated in the thought leadership forum to understand the cross currents of emerging […]
Asian Agri Commits IDR 2.6 Billion to 29,000 Smallholders of Oil Palm Plantations
Since its founding in 1979, Asian Agri has grown to become one of the world’s leading palm oil producers, managing 100,000 hectares of land comprising 27 sustainably-managed plantations. Integral to its success over the past four decades is its close partnership with the thousands of smallholder farmers, who collectively manage another 60,000 hectares of oil […]