~For Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) edition\/Sunday<\/p>\n
;JP;
\nANPAc..r..
\nSampoerna-CSR-program<\/p>\n
Reviving the glory of Virginia tobacco<\/p>\n
Haji Lallu Ayub, a villager in Sikur district, East Lombok,
\nWest Nusa Tenggara looked happy to see the quality of the tobacco
\nleaves from his farm.<\/p>\n
Unlike last year, the quality of tobacco leaves produced from
\nhis five-hectare farm in this year's first harvest season are
\nmuch better thanks to good weather and less plant diseases.<\/p>\n
\"I'm so glad that the quality of our tobacco leaves has been
\nmuch better than last year. I'm optimistic that those leaves will
\nbe grade A,' the father of five told a number of Jakarta-based
\njournalists visiting his farm recently.<\/p>\n
Haji Lallu Ayub is one of a number of tobacco farmers in the
\nSikur district taking part in a partnership program sponsored by
\nPT Sadhana Arif Nusa, a subsidiary of clover cigarette producer
\nPT HM Sampoerna Tbk.<\/p>\n
Started in 1995, the partnership program -- part of the
\ncompany's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities -- has
\nbeen designed to revive the glory of Virginia tobacco, once known
\nas one of the best types of tobacco varieties in the world.<\/p>\n
At least 1,260 farmers in Lombok take part in the program with
\ntotal tobacco plantation areas of about 3,000 hectares.<\/p>\n
PT Sadhana gives both financial support and technical
\nassistance for the farmers; including providing quality seeds,
\nand fertilizers. The company also hires a number of field
\nsupervisors to help the farmers not only in the plantation
\nactivities but also in processing and marketing. Under this
\npartnership program, all the tobacco leaves that meet the
\nstandards are sold to PT Sadhana.<\/p>\n
\"When we began this program back in 1995, farmers produced no
\nmore than 1,000 kg per hectare. With our technology, now they can
\nproduce up to 2,000 kg per hectare and with a far better quality
\nof leaves,\" said Andrew Cockburn, technical advisor of the Leaf
\nImprovement program.<\/p>\n
\"Lombok, with its relatively cool weather, is quite suitable
\nfor growing Virginia tobacco. The farmers are also very
\ncooperative and open for new technology we bring,\" he said,
\ncomparing the situation in the Philippines and Pakistan where he
\nhas worked on similar partnership programs.<\/p>\n
The latest innovation by Andrew and the team is to cover the
\nsoil with rice stalks in order to maintain the moisture of the
\nplants. \"It works very well, particularly in the dry season
\nduring which the lack of water has became a common issue here,\"
\nhe said. \"With this simple system, the leaf production can be
\nsignificantly increased,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Besides transferring the farming technology, the partnership
\nalso teaches farmers about management so that they have the
\nopportunity to become professional businessmen. \"Not all farmers
\nhere have their own land, some rent it. They, therefore, have to
\nthink strategically about the cost and the result so that they
\ncould earn profit at the end of the harvest time\", told
\nKoeswanto, leaf station manager of PT Sadhana.<\/p>\n
According Koeswanto, professionalism is necessary because if
\nfarmers suffer losses from their tobacco farming, the company
\nwill also suffer.<\/p>\n
The selling prices of the tobacco leaves are negotiated at the
\nbeginning of the planting season. \"It's fair for us (farmers),
\nbecause we can sell the tobacco leaves to other buyers, if we
\ndon't agree with PT Sadhana's offered prices,\" Haji Lallu said.<\/p>\n
In Lombok, there are nine other partnership program in tobacco
\nplanting. Besides PT Sadhana, there are PT Djarum, BAT, Philip
\nMorris and other cigarette companies who are working with local
\nfarmers to produce good quality tobacco leaves. Up to now, the
\nsize of tobacco plantations under this kind of partnership
\nprograms has reached about 18,747 hectares. -- Agustina
\nWayansari\/The Jakarta Post<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/for-corporate-social-responsibility-csr-editionsunday-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}