Asia Pulp & Paper Group, Asian producer of paper and cellulose, announces its own support for a pilot project in the biofuels sector led by local communities which will be able to help reduce the use of fossil fuels in Indonesia, increase the availability of renewable biofuels, provide an income for local communities and reduce vulnerability to Indonesian forest fires as well as the degradation of its forests and deforestation. The project will be responsible for identifying suitable land for the Reutealis Trisperma plantation, also known as Philippine tung or Kemiri Sunan in Indonesia. With a strong growth in demand globally for biofuels, this plant is rapidly emerging as a potential source to supply B15/B20 biodiesel in Indonesia and in key European Union markets.
This plant has deep roots and wide foliage, and a high yield, since it can supply up to 10 tonnes of oil per hectare, representing a significant source of biofuel, with the processing waste used for the production of fertilisers, animal feed and biogas. The launch of this pilot project to cultivate biofuel plants is the latest in a series of initiatives structured and promoted by APP for sustainable development throughout Indonesia and is part of the commitments of Asia Pulp & Paper Group in respect of protection of the land through the Belantara Foundation and its wider commitment to support 500 local villages. This is accomplished through a five-year investment of 10 million dollars, for the implementation of the IFFS system, an integrated system of arboricolture, agriculture and livestock rearing which is focused on the growth in income of local communities, reducing, meantime, the pressure of these communities to occupy new areas of forest. «A green development which can bring benefits both to the environment and to the company has always been one of the primary objectives of our Forest Conservation Policy», states Aida Greenbury, managing director for sustainability in the Asia Pulp & Paper Group. «We are using it to supply continuous support and cooperation to the Government of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan to create a province with a high rate of sustainability and prosperity».