@AGROBiz January/February 2026 | Page 7

FOREIGN NEWS
January-February. 2026 | @ AGROBiz

FOREIGN NEWS

07

Spreading sustainable practices

EFFORTS to strengthen sustainable palm oil production among Indonesia’ s independent smallholders are set to receive a research boost under a new multi-year collaboration in Riau Province.

Musim Mas Group has partnered with Nanyang Technological University( NTU Singapore) to examine what drives farmers to adopt responsible cultivation practices and how those behaviours spread across rural communities.
Asso Prof Janice Ser Huay Lee leads the study from NTU’ s Asian School of the Environment and will focus on growers in Pelalawan and Siak districts, including members and non-members of the Asosiasi Perkebun Swadaya Kelapa Sawit Pelalawan Siak( APSKS-PS), a smallholder group supported by Musim Mas.
Although sustainability programmes have expanded in recent years, adoption among independent farmers remains uneven. Industry experience shows that training sessions alone do not always lead to long-term change. Social trust, peer influence, perceived economic
FIELD STUDY: Associate Professor Janice Lee( third from left) with representatives from a farmers’ association in Pelalawan-Siak.
returns, and access to reliable information often determine whether new practices are sustained.
To better understand these dynamics, the NTU team will combine spatial mapping, social network analysis and large-scale farmer surveys. By identifying the behavioural, social, and geographic factors associated with higher adoption rates, the researchers aim to generate practical insights for companies and policymakers seeking to scale sustainability more effectively.
Musim Mas operates Indonesia’ s largest independent smallholder programme and has trained more than 40,000 farmers since 2015. While many independent growers do not supply the company directly, Musim Mas maintains that improving smallholder practices is essential to the sector’ s long-term resilience.
“ For sustainability to take root, we need to understand what truly motivates farmers to change-and how those changes spread through communities,” said Musim Mas General Manager of Programmes and Projects Rob Nicholls.
“ This collaboration with NTU scientists will help us move from teaching sustainability to understanding it, so that our programmes can be more effective, inclusive, and self-sustaining.”
Lee also explained that:“ Independent smallholders play a vital role in the palm oil landscape, yet their decision-making and social networks are often overlooked.
Through this partnership, we hope to uncover how knowledge, trust, and influence shape the adoption of sustainable palm oil practices-insights that can help design more effective and equitable interventions across the region.”

Investing in a rural enterprise

REGIONAL enterprises are set to benefit from a new agriculture-focused initiative under a partnership between the AGCO Foundation and the University of Sydney Business School.
The collaboration will expand the long-running Remote and Rural Enterprise( RARE) program by introducing a dedicated agriculture stream to strengthen the economic foundations of rural Australia.
The move responds to sustained pressures in the bush, where more than 70 per cent of rural and agricultural communities have faced economic decline over the past five decades, largely driven by population loss and limited industry diversification.
Family farms, cooperatives and small agribusinesses continue to underpin regional economies, but many operate under constraints including geographic isolation, climate volatility and restricted market access.
The new stream will focus on practical, community-led projects designed to lift farm viability and encourage innovation. Planned activities include social enterprise development, agritourism
ventures and sustainability-focused initiatives.
Each year, between 50 and 70 students will undertake placements in rural communities, working alongside local operators and Indigenous-led enterprises to co-design tailored strategies. The approach centres on action research and place-based solutions that reflect local conditions and priorities.
“ Partnering with the University of Sydney Business School to expand RARE with an agricultural stream aligns with our strategy to build vibrant local ecosystems,” said the AGCO Foundation Board Chair Roger Batkin.
“ It keeps future leaders rooted in local agriculture and enables intergenerational knowledge exchange to co-develop innovations and best practices that support sustainable transformation and economic viability.”
Launched in 2007, RARE connects students with regional businesses to deliver on-the-ground outcomes that enhance resilience and growth. The agriculture stream will utilise the
University’ s rural campuses at Camden and Narrabri to deepen regional engagement.
University of Sydney Business School Dean Professor Leisa Sargent explained:“ We ' re delighted to partner with the AGCO Foundation to empower local enterprises with tailored strategies while giving students invaluable hands-on experience.
“ This creates sustainable solutions that respect cultural contexts and strengthen intergenerational knowledge exchange”.
The two-year partnership will provide three agricultural enterprises with mentoring, strategic advice and earlystage funding support.- @ AGROBiz
A PARTNERSHIP IN MOTION: The two-year collaboration will foster knowledge exchange between the next generation of agribusiness professionals.