Jakarta—The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reminds that climate change and its impacts, which are increasingly being felt by Indonesia’s oil palm plantation sector, require adaptation strategies and the implementation of appropriate climate actions to maintain the industry’s productivity.
BMKG Deputy for Climatology Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan said that the increasingly frequent extreme weather changes require the palm oil industry to adapt to the big challenge of staying afloat in the midst of difficult-to-predict climate fluctuations.
“Climate change affects all areas of our oil palm plantations, both in production and long-term sustainability. Therefore, accurate earth observation and in-depth scientific research are needed as the foundation of innovation to increase the productivity of oil palm plantations,” Ardhasena said in a statement on Monday, October 7.
BMKG, one of the institutions that plays an important role in monitoring climate change, provides a variety of relevant weather and climate information products to help the plantation sector make long-term decisions. This information includes climate predictions, El Niño and La Niña analysis, and related data that can help palm oil plantations respond to the increasingly uncertain climate change.
“BMKG continues to be committed to providing climate data and information needed by plantation businesses. We hope this information can be accessed and utilised optimally so that businesses can anticipate the impact of extreme weather and global climate phenomena,” he added.
Apart from supporting information, BMKG is also establishing cross-sector collaboration, including with plantation businesses, to ensure that weather data can be integrated into their operational and climate adaptation strategies. Ardhasena emphasized that a cross-disciplinary approach is crucial in addressing the impact of climate change on the ecosystem and productivity of oil palm.
“We must comprehensively understand how the plantation ecosystem responds to these changes and how the oil palm crop adapts. By collaborating with experts and related sectors, we can formulate more effective measures in managing climate impacts on crops,” Ardhasena said.
BMKG recorded 2023 as one of the hottest years on record, with the global average temperature increasing above 1.5 degrees Celsius for 13 of the last 14 months. This trend is expected to continue in 2024, potentially bringing additional challenges for the palm oil industry in maintaining productivity amid extreme climate change. (Hartatik)
