With a total production output of 56.5 million tonnes in 2025, Indonesia is the world’s top palm oil producer. The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) estimated that the country accounted for 59 percent of global palm oil output in 2024.Beyond its contribution to the national economy, oil palm is also closely tied to livelihoods in rural communities. Around 42.3 percent of Indonesia’s oil palm plantation area, or approximately 6.7 million hectares, is managed by smallholders.
For Asian Agri, one of Indonesia’s leading palm oil producers, this connection with smallholder communities is already part of its long-term approach to the sector. In 2025, the company provided training to 1,971 plasma smallholders, while its flagship Smallholder Inclusion for Better Livelihood and Empowerment (SMILE) program involved 2,834 independent smallholders.
Building on that approach, Asian Agri developed Sekolah Sawit Lestari to bring the same knowledge closer to a younger generation growing up around oil palm.
Putu Grhyate Yonata Aksa, Asian Agri’s sustainability operations & CSR senior manager, said the program was designed to help students in communities around Asian Agri’s operations better understand the industry that is closely connected to their daily lives.
