Beyond stewardship: how innovation is redefining sustainable agriculture
SIPEF dedicates itself to producing high-quality, sustainable, fully traceable, and certified palm products and bananas. As technology continues to play an increasingly important role in sustainable tropical agriculture, the Group is harnessing innovation to balance productivity with environmental responsibility, while strengthening local economies and creating meaningful value for the communities in which it operates.
Supporting workers through technology
Angus Wilson, Director of Technical Services at SIPEF’s subsidiary, Tolan Tiga Indonesia, says technology helps SIPEF to make plantation work safer, more efficient, and more sustainable for its workforce, and enables workers to focus on higher-value activities that benefit both the land and nature. “Plantation work remains physically demanding, and many innovations are designed to improve safety, reduce strain, and increase efficiency. Electric wheelbarrows help reduce physical effort, while lighter carbon-fibre harvesting tools improve usability and safety. Global positioning system (GPS) tracking systems improve coordination and reduce uncertainty, while mechanised handling systems reduce manual lifting. Digital reporting tools also help to reduce administrative burden, while training tools support workforce development.”
From experience-based management to data-supported decision-making
Jonathan Fun, Tolan Tiga Indonesia’s Director of Operations, says over the past decade, technology has empowered an important shift at SIPEF’s plantations, with technologies such as GPS mapping, satellite imagery, drones, and platforms like SIPEF’s digital traceability platform, GeoSIPEF, now providing a far broader and more structured view of operations. “Previously, plantation management relied mainly on field observations and periodic reporting. Today, SIPEF can complement this with more accurate land boundary data, improved traceability across plantations, and better visibility of variation across estates. However, we still need ‘boots on the ground’; the technology is simply helping us to prioritise where attention is needed. The result is more targeted and proactive management, supported by both data and operational expertise.”
Precision technologies in the field
SIPEF is making increasing use of drone technology across its operations. Drones are applied in crop monitoring to assess health, gaps, and abnormal patterns, and to deploy targeted treatments where needed — reducing both chemical use and human error. They are also used for topographical surveys that support planting and development planning, as well as for infrastructure inspections, such as roads, drains, and ponds. These applications, says Wilson, allow for faster and more accurate assessments. “They also help our teams to target physical inspections more effectively. This leads to improved land-use planning, earlier identification of issues, and better use of resources.”
He says satellite imagery and drones also support the detection of land-use changes, environmental monitoring — including fire detection through systems such as Ororatech — and more responsible land development planning. These capabilities are enabled by geographical information system (GIS) mapping, remote sensing technologies, and data visualisation tools. “The key difference today is not that decisions are entirely new, but that they are faster, clearer, and better informed.”
Transparency beyond compliance
While regulations such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) have accelerated the adoption of digital traceability systems across the industry, Fun says, for SIPEF, technology goes far beyond compliance, “Digital tools are reshaping how SIPEF approaches accountability, transparency, and risk management. They allow SIPEF to demonstrate traceability with greater confidence, provide clearer land boundary data, and improve visibility across operations. Ultimately, it is about building trust through credible and verifiable information.”
He says this increased transparency benefits regulators, customers, the company, and local communities. “Technology — when combined with experience, collaboration, and a clear focus on people — becomes a powerful enabler of more resilient, transparent, and sustainable agriculture.”
Genetic science and collaboration for long-term sustainability
Long-term sustainability depends not only on how land is managed, but also on improving the biological efficiency and resilience of crops themselves. SIPEF’s investment in Verdant Bioscience Pte Ltd (VBS) and the F1 Hybrid programme supports higher yields on existing land and more efficient land use. Beyond yield improvement, genetic science also contributes to more effective pest and disease management, improved productivity per hectare, and better adaptability to changing climate conditions.
SIPEF’s on-going commitment to sustainable agriculture
Despite its progress, the industry continues to face numerous sustainability-related challenges, including labour availability and retention; climate variability and unpredictability; balancing productivity with increasing regulatory requirements; achieving full traceability across complex supply chains; and advancing waste circularity beyond current solutions.
Fun says continued investment in data and traceability systems, renewable energy solutions, mechanisation, and agronomy expertise is helping SIPEF to address these issues.