Blog: Blogs The science behind a sustainable agribusiness

Palm oil is found in many products, from cookies and bread to lipsticks and soaps. The presence of this controversial product in many everyday products is believed to negatively affect our health and the environment.

At Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), our research and development (R&D) facilities are dedicated to improving the diet of our customers and reducing our overall environmental footprint. Our investments in research are aimed at achieving higher oil palm yield per hectare, developing and deploying best agronomic practices, as well as creating tasty palm-based food products with optimal levels of nutrition.

These critical functions are performed by our three R&D facilities – SMART Research Institute (SMARTRI), SMART Biotechnology Centre and Marunda R&D Centre.

Better plant yield and agronomy practices
At SMARTRI and the Biotechnology Centre, more than 100 researchers, scientists, and technologists conduct extensive research on our plantations and planting materials. These experts work to improve production, yield and agronomic practices, all of which contribute to responsible palm oil production. 

The SMARTRI in Libo, Riau, is our flagship research facility. In addition to research on breeding to improve palm oil yield per hectare, the team also focuses on improving practices in agronomy, such as oil palm and soil analysis, crop protection through Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and sustainability methodologies. 

Embracing digital advancements, SMARTRI plans to improve the efficiency of our plantation operations. This involves the collection of data using sensors, drones and robotic harvesters and weeders, as well as the adoption of precision agriculture to optimise farm processes. 

SMART Biotechnology Centre, a facility in Sentul, Bogor, develops elite palm oil clonal planting materials using cutting-edge plant biotechnology laboratory equipment. To reduce the waiting time, molecular markers are used to select oil palm trees with superior traits before maturity. As a holistic approach, the centre also ensures impact on the environment is reduced through the production and use of bio-fungicide, bio-fertiliser and bio-pesticide. 

In 2017, super high-yielding seeds Eka 1 and Eka 2 were developed jointly by SMARTRI and SMART Biotechnology Centre. These seeds increased the company productivity of crude palm oil (CPO) to more than 10 tonnes per hectare per year at mature ages (10-18 years). Following this success, the team plans to plant these seeds and drought-tolerant plantlets (also known as ramets) in a larger commercial area. 

Nutritious foods and reduced environmental impact
Using the latest food technology laboratory equipment, the experts at our R&D Centre in Marunda work to support the creation of safe, healthy, and delicious food products. Research improves the quality of our cooking oil and specialty fats products. Our R&D has reformulated our products so that trans-fatty acids are removed without compromising quality.

A unique feature in our facility is a full concept kitchen that includes a bakery and savoury section, allowing our chefs to test product applications on different types of food. We also have a sensory evaluation room to assess the appearance, taste, smell and texture of products we are testing.

To ensure the quality of CPO and to meet the requirements of our customers, Marunda plans to further improve the characteristics of our products through analysis of monoacylglycerols (MAG)/diacylglycerols (DAG) and carbon number in fats and oils.

As a fully integrated agribusiness committed to reducing environmental impact, the facility also looks at the development of lightweight packaging to maximise loading space in transport containers. This has led to reduced costs, lower energy consumption, and a decrease in carbon emissions.

Let’s take a look at how each of the three R&D facilities contributes to making better palm-based products:

Function

Milestones and achievements

Interested to find out more about our breakthroughs in increasing palm oil yields to the highest in the industry? Read here.