Musim Mas Collaborates with Stakeholders to Deal with Forest and Land Fires

SINGAPORE, Sept. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of forest and land fires in Indonesia this year, one of the largest integrated palm oil companies globally, Musim Mas, ramped up its training and simulations in June 2023, attended by the Musim Mas' Firefighting team and its Fire-Free Village Program (FFVP). The group's approach is aligned with initiatives from the Indonesian government.

The group recognized the need to change behaviors in communities that traditionally relied on burning to clear lands. To that end, Musim Mas developed its FFVP to promote its "zero burning" policy, provide know-how and resources, and change behaviors for at-risk communities. Musim Mas has trained 75 villages spread across an area exceeding 450,000 hectares to date. Every participating village that successfully maintains a fire-free environment throughout a calendar year becomes eligible for a financial incentive of IDR 25 million per village. These funds can be directed toward procuring fire prevention and control equipment or supporting various community projects.

Musim Mas Integrated Fire Prevention and Management Program also includes fire risk analysis and management, hotspot monitoring, and assessing its chain of operations. For early detection and quick response to potential fires, Musim Mas' internal Geographic Information System (GIS) team utilizes technology to conduct monitoring using active fires/thermal anomalies data from satellites that work in synergy with the entire supply chain, drones, and CCTV. Firefighting infrastructure, including firebreaks and water reservoirs, was set up within the plantations to prevent the spread of fire and minimize its impact.

The group also maintains a team of firefighters trained and equipped to fight fires not just inside the group's concession areas but also for a three-km radius outside. The group collaborates with and supports the various arms of the Indonesian government on this.

Beyond its own operations, Musim Mas' Integrated Fire Prevention and Management Program extends its reach to suppliers, local communities, and independent smallholders.

"The palm oil industry, including Musim Mas, took lessons from the past years' major haze incidents. The incidents motivate us to take action and actively contribute to fire prevention and control through various programs and collaboration with various stakeholders, such as the government and the local communities. We hope to enable the communities to become agents of change in preventing and tackling forest and land fires," explained Teuku Kanna Rhamdan, General Manager Corporate Affairs - Musim Mas Group.

Apart from the communities, independent smallholders are also essential to preventing forest and land fires because they manage more than 40% of oil palm plantations in Indonesia. Musim Mas runs Indonesia's largest Independent Smallholders training program and has made "zero burning" and fire-prevention part of its training. The group also assists farmers in accessing funding from the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) to implement oil palm rejuvenation programs without burning land.

Musim Mas is also an active member of the Fire-Free Alliance (FFA), a multi-stakeholder group committed to solving problems with fires and haze in Indonesia.

Read more about Musim Mas' fire prevention efforts at this link.

About Musim Mas

As one of the major players in the palm oil industry, Musim Mas aspires to be a responsible leader, driving a new era of sustainability in the industry with innovation. To that end, Musim Mas is taking active steps to exceed industry-recognized sustainability standards and will continue to respond to critical industry issues to contribute to a more sustainable industry and world.

CONTACT: devane.sharma@mmh-global.com