Photo: The vibrant ceremony sets the stage for construction activities forming part of the plasma plantation project. Upon completion, the estate will be solely managed by nine indigenous clans in Ulilin District

SOUTH PAPUA – The Inggyash Ghuzi Cooperative in Ulilin District, Merauke Regency held a traditional ceremony Thursday (6/25/2026) in honor of the upcoming construction of a local plasma plantation, which, upon completion, will be operated solely by nine indigenous clans.

Leader of the Cooperative and the Koula clan, Richard Nosai Koula, said this project is a long time coming — hence the festivities, which symbolize gratitude to the ancestors.

“We hope land clearing and planting can take place immediately after this ceremony. We’re aiming for 500 hectares in the first year, and more in the second and third years, until we reach 3,700 hectares,” Richard, as he’s called, said eagerly.

Inggyash Ghuzi was founded in 2016 as a platform for the clans to explore entrepreneurial ventures and build collectively-owned businesses. The cooperative now holds a right to cultivate (HGU) for 4,607.2 hectares of land, of which 3,755 hectares are allocated for oil palm cultivation. The remaining 852 hectares will be a High Conservation Value (HCV) area dedicated to environmental preservation, as per the Cooperative’s commitment.

To support the plasma project, Inggyash Ghuzi is working with PT Bangun Papua Luhurkarya (BPL), whose job is to ensure farm development and management are run in line with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Best Management Practices (BMP).

Photo: In attendance were the head of Merauke Regency’s Department of Food Crops, Horticulture, and Plantation, representative from Merauke Regency’s Department of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, and MSMEs, provincial, regency, and district government officials, and local community members

Prior to construction, the team went through several steps, said Maria Andini, BPL’s director. These included public briefing, free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) signing, partner appointment, agreement signing, HGU licensing, timber cruising, and contractor appointment for land clearing.

The next step will only begin once the HGU for the plantation is issued by the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning (slash the National Land Agency) through Merauke Regency’s Land Office.

The Thursday ceremony was attended by the head of Merauke Regency’s Department of Food Crops, Horticulture, and Plantation, a representative from Merauke Regency’s Department of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, and MSMEs, provincial, regency, and district government officials, and local community members. Their presence demonstrates support for indigenous-run oil palm farms.

“This indigenous-run farm is an exemplary project, and we hope that guidance from BPL will help Inggyash Ghuzi Cooperative and the nine clans expand their knowledge, gain better understanding, and develop more skills in oil palm management. This way, the estate can boost community income and well-being,” said Josefa L. Rumaseu, who leads Merauke Regency’s Department of Food Crops, Horticulture, and Plantation.

Meanwhile, Imakulata Mawun — on behalf of Merauke Regency’s Department of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, and MSMEs — said this type of plasma plantation is “rare” in South Papua. Nearly all local NES (nucleus estate and smallholder) farms are centrally managed.

“Under a centralized management model, [partner] cooperatives can only receive progress reports and their share of revenue from the company, which built and manages the plasma smallholdings. On the other hand, autonomous management enables cooperatives to fully participate in smallholding operations,” said the Head of the Department’s Cooperative Unit.

Besides the government, local community leaders are also encouraging this community-oriented initiative. Youth representatives Glen Maikuin dan Piyer Basik-Basik expected job creation and better local economy, while stressing the need for prioritizing discussion should issues or disputes arise among the clans.

“We hope this farm can bring real economic benefits and the local government can give us support.”

Inggyash Ghuzi Cooperative is a legal entity established by and for nine indigenous Papuan clans in Ulilin District, Merauke Regency. It aims to grow businesses run by the members, and through this plasma plantation, deliver long-term economic impact. (PR)

TSE Group, Carbon Standards International, and the International Biochar Initiative have launched a palm biomass pilot in Indonesia and Malaysia. Utilizing continuous-operation kilns to pyrolyze fibrous residues, the project establishes a scalable, certified framework for 32 million tons of annual carbon removal.

TSE Group has announced a collaborative pilot initiative to convert abundant agricultural residues from palm oil plantations into high-quality biochar. Developed alongside Carbon Standards International (CSI) and the International Biochar Initiative (IBI), the project will be officially detailed at the upcoming Biochar Summit 2026 in Vienna, Austria. The operational framework is specifically designed for integration into tropical plantation landscapes across Indonesia and Malaysia, focusing on underutilized materials like Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Oil Palm Trunks (OPT). By establishing verified production and accounting systems, the coalition seeks to establish a highly reproducible paradigm for large-scale carbon management in the agricultural sectors of Southeast Asia.

The fundamental challenge addressed by this multi-organization initiative is the severe waste-management bottleneck and carbon liability associated with regional palm oil manufacturing. Plantations across Indonesia and Malaysia generate an estimated 140 million metric tons of unutilized biomass residues each year. Historically, the vast majority of these materials are discarded to rot or are openly burned, contributing to direct greenhouse gas emissions and localized air pollution. Conventional thermal processing technologies have consistently failed to handle this specific resource due to the physical nature of tropical agricultural secondary products. The high moisture content and complex, fibrous structure of palm oil residues cause rapid mechanical fouling and thermal inefficiencies in standard reactors, which has prevented industrial-scale valorization of this waste.

To circumvent these historical engineering barriers, TSE Group developed a continuous-operation pyrolysis kiln system optimized for fibrous, high-moisture tropical feedstocks. The design was finalized in coordination with an engineering firm in South Korea and ReCORD, a clean energy research institute based at the University of Florence. By modifying feed pre-treatment and thermal residence times, the engineered kiln maintains continuous operation without requiring external infrastructure modifications, new roads, or supplementary tree plantings. Furthermore, to address the lack of rigorous corporate carbon accounting in tropical agricultural regimes, the group is integrating the industrial carbon standards of CSI to systematically verify the stability and quality of the final material.

The operationalization of this pilot framework establishes a clear pathway toward massive, verifiable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and circular resource management. Transitioning these 140 million tons of regional waste into a dedicated pyrolytic production chain presents a maximum potential yield of approximately 32 million metric tons of durable carbon dioxide removal annually. The localized deployment of these systems eliminates open-air burning emissions and returns stable carbon matrices to regional tropical soils, enhancing agricultural resilience. On a market scale, pursuing formal CSI certification provides the verification framework required to satisfy international carbon removal registries, bridging the gap between major tropical agricultural hubs and the global environmental commodity markets.

Source: biochartoday.com

Photo: A TSE Group executive presents on a topic at the latest community training at TSE Corporate University (TSE CORPU). This event is one of TSE Group’s many initiatives aimed at supporting indigenous competency building and readying young Papuans for the job market

BOVEN DIGOEL – Tunas Sawa Erma (TSE) Group held another community training aimed at building a highly capable, competitive local workforce. This program is specifically designed to equip young indigenous people with the mental fortitude, job-specific skills, and professional competencies needed by the industry.

From June 3 to 24, 2026, facilitators from the company conducted intensive classes under a holistic curriculum that taught technical knowledge and skills like discipline, land and building tax, oil palm governance, plantation maintenance, heavy equipment maintenance, and digital administration. Participants also learned about character building and work motivation, further preparing them for the professional world.

The 18-day event held at TSE Corporate University (TSE CORPU), Asiki, Boven Digoel Regency, seeks to expand individual capacity and opportunity for taking part in employment or entrepreneurship.

TSE Group’s General Manager, Daniel Sim Ayomi, said this program is part of the company’s long-term social investment bolstering the future of young Papuans, right in their hometown.

“We don’t want them to be [passive] spectators [of developments] in their own homeland. [Having learned] practical knowledge, our children should leave this place with the skills and a bigger chance to earn a decent living. We hope this program will inspire young people from other clans to continue learning and creating,” said Ayomi at the event’s closing ceremony.

Photo: Participants focusing on the lesson (left) Camaraderie abounds among the young participants and the TSE Group management. This training is part of the company’s efforts to strengthen indigenous Papuans’ capacities

There were praises from the audience, including Marselino Kandinon. He gained a lot of new insight that broadened his perspective on work and business opportunities.

“I learned new things, especially about machinery and plantation technology. This would be valuable when I start looking for jobs or running my own business,” Kandinon said.

Through consistent community empowerment initiatives, TSE Group reiterates its balanced focus on business operations and regional development that takes into account indigenous lives and well-being. By reinforcing local talent capacities, the company hopes to continue promoting economic independence among South Papuans and providing them with long-term benefits. (PR)

This event is attended by IPB University’s bird-of-paradise and pig-nosed turtle research teams, South Papuan Governor Apolo Safanpo, South Papua’s Papua’s People Assembly Chairman Damianus Katayu, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) officials, management authorities, academicians, and Indonesian Palm Oil Association members

BOGOR — Despite climate changes, the responsible management of production forests and riverscapes continues to help protect pig-nosed turtle and greater bird-of-paradise homes in Papua, said a four-year joint research between IPB University and Tunas Sawa Erma (TSE) Group.

This finding was made public at “Melindungi Ikon Papua: Pemantauan Jangka Panjang Kura-kura Moncong Babi dan Cenderawasih” (Preserving Papua’s Icons: Long-Term Observation of Pig-Nosed Turtles and Birds-of-Paradise), a wildlife conservation seminar and workshop held Friday (2/6/2026) in Bogor. The event was part of a long research project conducted by IPB University and TSE Group since 2022.

Another point highlighted consistent occurrences of greater birds-of-paradise (Paradisaea apoda) within TSE Group’s production forests, where selective harvesting is practiced. Throughout the study, over 100 birds were identified across two forest concessions, with half of the area showing high levels of habitat suitability.

Authors have also found success in documenting lekking (mating) events, and recognizing lek and food-producing trees that are key to the species’ longevity.

Prof. Ani Mardiastuti — in charge of the greater birds-of-paradise research — said forest management practices that maintain high conservation value (HCV) areas and employ selective harvesting contribute to endemic bird preservation in Papua.

“Responsibly-managed production forests remain capable of supporting the lives of birds-of-paradise, and even hold potential for birding ecotourism.”

Meanwhile, on the freshwater front, a close examination of the pig-nosed turtles revealed climate change as an increasingly defining factor for the species’ breeding success.

Extreme precipitation and flooding on the Kao River have caused spawning failure in multiple observation sessions, underscoring the need for conservation strategies that rely both on habitat safeguarding and climate adaptation.

Pig-nosed turtle researcher, Prof. Mirza D. Kusrini, emphasized the importance of long-term monitoring in studying the effects of weather anomalies on animal life cycles.

Prof. Mirza D. Kusrini, Prof. Ani Mardiastuti, and Dr. Yeni A. Mulyani speaking on pig-nosed turtle, greater bird-of-paradise, and herpetofauna research conducted by IPB University’s Forestry and Environment Faculty and TSE Group

“Prolonged observations are crucial for understanding weather anomaly impacts on breeding success. By working with locals, we can ensure conservation efforts continue unabated.”

From a business perspective, this research establishes stronger foundations for accountable forest management practices. TSE Group’s Director Wicklief F. Leunufna affirmed local environmental and wildlife preservation as part of the company’s commitments.

“Through our research collaboration with IPB University, we aim to continuously align our operations with evidence-based conservation.”

This seminar slash workshop featured a cross-sectoral discussion forum that identified opportunities and obstacles to long-term observation. The segment also suggested science-based policy and technical recommendations for protected wildlife management in Papua.

IPB University’s Forestry and Environment Faculty Dean, Prof. Dodik Ridho Nurrochmat, hoped to see their study being referenced in future regional policymaking.

The seminar is part of IPB University and TSE Group’s accountability reporting in regard to this long research project

“We hope this forum becomes a platform for knowledge exchange, as well as stakeholder input and mandate to keep our research aligned with needs for actionable policies.”

South Papuan Governor Apolo Safanpo, also in attendance, said data-driven research is central to public policy decisions. Credible studies ensure development decisions and natural resource management are carried out with respect to the people and planet, he added.

Altogether, IPB University and TSE Group’s joint project covers wildlife population monitoring, HCV area protection, and technical recommendation development for managing key species. Its results are expected to serve as a valuable reference for local governments, businesses, and other stakeholders in strengthening wildlife and broader ecosystem conservation in Papua, especially in the face of climate change pressures. (*)

To achieve Net Zero Emissions, TSE Group has integrated the Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) sector, along with the energy and industrial sectors into its decarbonization strategy, ensuring that its entire supply chain contributes to comprehensive emission reductions.

In addressing the climate change challenges, SBTi provides a clear, science-based framework for companies to set measurable emission reduction targets, enabling industries to responsibly contribute to the transition toward a low-carbon economy. This initiative also supports TSE Group develop a transparent and credible mitigation strategy, ensuring a sustainable shift to a low-carbon future.

TSE Group’s approved greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets are as follows:

We are committed to reducing emissions through the phased development of Biogas Power Plants at five locations, the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), and the transition from biodiesel to biogas-powered energy and solar panels as renewable energy sources. Additionally, we are implementing sustainable agricultural practices by replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers and biochar, along with various other initiatives to support the Net Zero Emissions 2050 target.

Through this commitment, we reaffirm the company’s strategic role in supporting the global decarbonization agenda and strengthening collaboration with stakeholders to build a sustainable future.

Jakarta, 28 March 2025

Management of TSE Group

Photo: Enthusiasm can be seen in the audience as they listen to the speaker

BOVEN DIGOEL – A major factor in biodiversity disruption is the lack of understanding surrounding natural resources and their management. Without real actions to correct this, it will become a bigger concern with serious impacts on environmental longevity.

Prevention is critical to avoid these impacts — measures include children- and youth-oriented awareness campaigns, which are most effective despite their size.

Such campaigns are run by Tunas Sawa Erma Group, an oil palm plantation and management company in South Papua. It is through these social and environmental educational activities (called “Social Education”) that TSE Group encouraged students at Boven Digoel Public Agribusiness and Agrotechnology Vocational High 4 (Naga Subvillage, Boven Digoel Regency) to protect their natural surroundings.

An air of enthusiasm spread among the 87 participants. Students looked engaged with the topic brought on by a company-appointed speaker that Thursday (2/7). The audience was encouraged to develop better sensitivity to current environmental issues, as well as take part in habitat preservation and environmental upkeep.

“This morning activity [campaign] is very useful for me and my friends… it helps us understand the environmental issues happening around us,” said tenth-grader Melia Endomup, who attended.

Photo: The inclusion of a speaker aims to sharpen student sensitivity towards current environmental issues

The campaign wrapped up with a prized quiz on the topic. This quiz aimed to test students’ level of understanding and recognize active participants. Winners were rewarded with attractive presents.

Social Education is part of the company’s education-oriented Corporate Social Contribution (CSC) programs. TSE Group pledges to take active roles in biodiversity and nature conservation through tangible actions and sustainable oil palm plantation governance. (PR)

Photo: TSE Group director Luwy Leunufna accepts the company’s Sawit Indonesia Award plaque in person

JAKARTA – TSE Group’s Net Zero Emissions commitment received recognition at the 2024 Sawit Indonesia Award held Thursday (12/12). At this prestigious show, the palm oil corporation won the “Huge Contribution to Net Zero and Climate Change Mitigation” category.

TSE Group director Luwy Leunufna accepted the plaque in person. Sawit Indonesia awards are presented to individuals or entities with an outstanding track record in the palm oil industry. Winners are chosen based on two factors: performance and product quality.

“This is our [Sawit Indonesia Magazine] third time holding the Sawit Indonesia Award, which is part of an effort to build and strengthen the local palm oil sector. At the peak of this event, we would present awards to institutions, companies, and influential industry figures before [after] they undergo our internal evaluation process with input from our editorial board. These awards are our way to recognize their dedication and contribution throughout the year,” explained Qayyum Amri, Sawit Indonesia Magazine’s editor-in-chief.

TSE Group was awarded “Huge Contribution to Net Zero and Climate Change Mitigation” for its response to state calls for supporting 2060 Net Zero Emissions and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Indonesia has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 29% under the business-as-usual scenario and 41% with international help by 2030.

The company group plays its part in Net Zero efforts by following Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) standards in defining objectives.

Sawit Indonesia awards are presented to individuals or entities with an outstanding track record in the palm oil industry

Its efforts are translated into key initiatives, such as biogas power plant construction, biochar research (and facility purchase for the research), EV use in daily operations, and solar panel installment to provide lighting in plantation areas.

TSE Group has also replaced its chemical fertilizers with organic ones from empty fruit bunches (EFB) for oil palm maintenance. Chemical fertilizers are deemed the world’s second biggest emissions source after POME; they discharge nitrogen oxide in production and contribute to global warming, making an impact 300 times bigger than carbon dioxide.

As a major global grower of oil palms, Indonesia views this commodity as its economic driver and carbon sink. Oil palm trees soak up 25 tons of CO₂ annually compared to other varieties at only 6 tons of CO₂, said the Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. (*)