UNPRI Agro Technology Faculty Hosts Public Lecture with BPDP: Inspiring Innovation in Indonesia’s Palm Oil Industry

UNPRI, Medan – The Faculty of Agro Technology at Universitas Prima Indonesia (UNPRI) once again reaffirmed its commitment to providing inspiring and practical education. Held at the Mini Hall, 10th floor, Main Campus of UNPRI, Jalan Sampul No. 3 Medan Petisah, on Thursday (October 9, 2025), the “Public Lecture” featured guest speaker Nugroho Adi Wibowo, Head of the Planning and Program Development Division at the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP). The event, attended by all Agro-technology and Agribusiness students—both holding “Excellent” accreditation from BAN-PT—was officially opened by the Dean of the Faculty of Agro Technology, Dr. Suratni Afrianti, S.T., M.Si., with Andry Admaja Tarigan, S.P., M.Si. as moderator and Laura Juita Pinem, S.P., M.Si. as host.

In her remarks, Dr. Suratni expressed appreciation to the guest speaker and gratitude for BPDP’s partnership with UNPRI, particularly in the scholarship program for human resource development in the palm oil plantation sector. About 90 students from batch 14 (2025) benefited from this program, bringing the total to 300 recipients. She hoped the lecture would broaden students’ understanding of palm oil and strengthen UNPRI’s commitment to providing quality, innovative, and sustainable education through collaborations with industry partners such as BPDP.

The lecture, titled “Support of Palm Oil Funds in Developing Indonesia’s National Palm Oil Industry”, highlighted BPDP’s contribution to improving human resources and competitiveness in the Indonesian palm oil sector. Nugroho explained that the partnership between BPDP and UNPRI has entered its third year. Among the 4,000 national scholarship recipients, UNPRI students receive comprehensive support, including living expenses, housing, tuition, uniforms, fieldwork, final projects, graduation fees, transportation, and certification costs.

“UNPRI students should be proud to study at one of Indonesia’s top universities trusted by national strategic agencies such as BPDP. University life is not merely about earning a degree, but about building networks and becoming part of the driving force behind a globally competitive palm oil industry. Palm oil is a strategic commodity that touches nearly every aspect of modern life, and UNPRI’s young generation must continue to innovate,” Nugroho emphasized.

Nugroho also elaborated on the vast potential of Indonesia’s palm oil industry, which serves as the backbone of the national economy—with 16.8 million hectares of plantations, 47 million tons of CPO production, and export value reaching USD 27.76 billion—providing employment for more than 16.7 million workers across 26 provinces. He noted that palm oil is found in everyday products such as toothpaste, soap, cosmetics, margarine, and biodiesel, despite facing negative global campaigns from competitors like soybean, rapeseed, sunflower, and coconut oils.

He also discussed the challenges faced by Indonesia’s palm oil sector, including low productivity among independent farmers, global black campaigns, and lagging research and downstream development compared to Malaysia. BPDP continues to run strategic programs such as palm replanting (Rp 60 million per hectare), superior seed and fertilizer support, entrepreneurship training, and ISPO (Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil) certification. BPDP also provides student research grants worth Rp 20 million per project to encourage youth innovation in the palm oil sector.

In closing, Nugroho delivered a motivational message to all students: “Your body may be tired, your heart may be broken, your eyes may cry, but everything will be worth it when you see your parents’ proud smiles on your graduation day.”

The event opened with a traditional Malay welcoming dance and closed with a Toba Batak tortor dance by UNPRI Creative students, reaffirming the Faculty of Agro Technology’s role as a leading faculty that produces professional, ethical, and socio-technopreneurial graduates ready to contribute to the sustainable future of Indonesia’s palm oil industry. (Yd)