Swiss-Indonesia Chamber of Commerce, also known as SwissCham Indonesia, an association of Swiss and Indonesian business players, held a panel discussion on “Shaping the Future of Indonesia’s Sustainable Agriculture Through Collaborations and Technology Innovations.” During the panel discussion, today, 24 May 2023, the Deputy for Food and Agribusiness Coordination, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Dr. Ir. Musdhalifah Machmud, M.T., and SwissCham member companies shared about how sustainable agriculture being developed in Indonesia by collaborations and technology innovation.
SwissCham member companies; Nestlé, Syngenta, and Koltiva, who are involved in the dialogue, believe that the prospects for Indonesia’s economy are truly exciting. With the right innovation and collaboration, all business players can prioritize sustainability development as a critical step toward realizing national economic growth and helping Indonesia achieve economic recovery amid global economic uncertainty.
“I believe we can shaping the future of Indonesia's Sustainable Agriculture through Collaborations and Technology Innovations.” said Deputy for Food and Agribusiness Coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Musdhalifah Machmud.
Head of Swiss Economic Cooperation, Embassy of Switzerland in Indonesia, Philipp Orga said that through its Cooperation Program, Switzerland is committed to supporting the production of sustainable commodities in Indonesia. The Swiss-funded Sustainable Landscape Program Indonesia (SLPI) works with private sector companies in 10 districts on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan to create economic opportunities for farmers while at the same time protecting the environment and addressing climate change.
“In Nestlé, we grow together with our farmer partners to advance the regenerative farming practices, at the heart of our food system. We believe the collaboration that we build towards sustainable agriculture, will create benefits for farmers, businesses, and in the same time, create a positive impact for the environment.” said Head of Corporate Sustainable Agriculture of Nestlé Indonesia, Syahrudi.
President Director of Syngenta Indonesia, Mr. Kazim Hasnain said Indonesia’s farmers must meet the changing needs of our environment and the expectations of regulators, consumers, and food processors and retailers. There are increasing pressures from climate change, soil erosion, and biodiversity loss and from consumers’ changing tastes in food and concerns about how it is produced. And the natural world that farming works with – plants, pests, and diseases – continues to pose its own challenges. Syngenta Indonesia’s business values focus on advancing the technologies that farmers use to increase their productivity and profitability while ensuring, through science, that such technologies also address the sustainability challenges in farming.
“At Koltiva, we understand the critical role of traceability in establishing responsible and ethical supply chains, benefiting our customers, stakeholders, and the environment. With the agriculture sector's significant contribution to Indonesia's GDP, we recognize the importance of innovative solutions to promote sustainability while complying with regulatory standards. The European Union's Council and Parliament recently agreed on a regulation to minimize deforestation and forest degradation. This regulation will ensure that certain products no longer contribute to deforestation and forest degradation in the EU market. Businesses will be required to demonstrate that their products are free from deforestation and comply with applicable laws in the country of production. KoltiTrace, our traceability system, enables comprehensive mapping and monitoring of zero-deforestation commitments, assisting over 6,300 enterprises in achieving traceable and resilient supply chains. Koltiva is committed to combating deforestation and working towards global environmental protection.” said the CEO of Koltiva, Manfred Borer.
Having sustainability as one of Switzerland's interests in South East Asia Strategy 2023 - 2026, SwissCham Indonesia is committed to supporting the sustainable aspects of the member companies and exploring further ties with the Indonesian Government.
Agriculture meets innovation! I'm amazed by the collaborative spirit and technological advancements
Fantastic insights! This article/blog perfectly captures the transformative power of collaboration and tech innovations in the agriculture sector. Kudos to SwissCham Members for their remarkable efforts in driving positive change and revolutionizing Indonesia's farming industry :)