Bridgestone signs deal to educate rubber tree farmers in Indonesia

Jakarta: Japanese tyre-maker Bridgestone announced Sunday that it has entered into an agreement with the World Agroforestry Centre, in which the parties will provide small-scale farmers in Indonesia with information and guidance on best practices in connection with the cultivation of rubber trees.

The parties will also conduct joint research intended to help stabilise the region's agricultural rubber industry in the future.

The agreement was accompanied by a donation of two million yen to the World Agroforestry Centre by Bridgestone. Bridgestone's subsidiary in Sumatra, P.T. Bridgestone Sumatra Rubber Estate, will work with World Agroforestry Centre representatives in connection with these initiatives.

Boosting yields

The Bridgestone Group owns two natural rubber estates in Indonesia, on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan, occupying a total 24,000 hectares.

However much of Ind-onesia's domestic natural rubber is produced by small-scale farmers with holdings of less than two hectares. Through support for these small-scale producers, Bridgestone hopes to boost natural rubber yields and contribute to economic stability of the country, as well as the development of local communities.

Bridgestone said it's striving to improve the quality of "jungle rubber" through educational and training activities, targeting small-scale farmers.

The next stage in the project will be to provide support through scientific analysis of cultivation, diseases and other facets of rubber Agroforestry in the future.