DELI SERDANG | INDATANEWS.COM - The Deli Serdang Regency Government is promoting bamboo cultivation and processing as an economically valuable resource. The initiative aims to create new business opportunities, increase household incomes and protect forests. The regional government sees bamboo not merely as a raw material for handicrafts, but also as a local resource that can be processed into higher-value products, including biochar and energy.
Deputy Regent of Deli Serdang
Lom Lom Suwondo SS discussed these opportunities on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, during a meeting with Prof. Arida Susilowati, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Sumatera Utara (USU), at the Deli Serdang Regent's official residence. The meeting also addressed planned tree-planting activities, the expansion of bamboo cultivation and potential partnerships with universities and businesses to strengthen the local economy while safeguarding the environment.
Promoting bamboo cultivation is considered particularly important for communities living near forest areas. Alternative sources of income could help reduce their dependence on timber harvesting while encouraging more sustainable use of natural resources.
Lom Lom stressed that the regional government needed to accelerate the development of bamboo cultivation. This would require consideration of local soil conditions, the selection of suitable bamboo species and the willingness of communities to manage plantations. Technical advice and ongoing support would also be essential to ensure productive cultivation and deliver long-term economic benefits.
"We need to unlock bamboo's potential so that communities can gain alternative sources of income while contributing to environmental protection," he said.
Bamboo as an Alternative Source of Income
Bamboo cultivation offers communities an opportunity to develop economic activities that are compatible with forest conservation. When managed properly, bamboo can serve as a raw material for a wide range of products, from handicrafts and bamboo-based construction materials to processed goods with greater market value.
Developing this resource, however, requires careful planning. The selection of bamboo species must reflect both local soil conditions and market demand. Communities also need knowledge of planting, maintenance, harvesting and processing to make the most of bamboo's potential.
The Deli Serdang Regency Government must also strengthen the links between cultivation and market access. With technical guidance, appropriate processing technology and partnerships with businesses, people living near forests could benefit economically without remaining as heavily dependent on timber extraction.
This approach would also create new opportunities for businesses built around local resources. Processing bamboo into value-added products could generate additional jobs, stimulate economic activity within communities and increase the commercial value of harvested bamboo.
AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF INCOME: Deputy Regent of Deli Serdang Lom Lom Suwondo SS supports the development of bamboo as an alternative source of income for local communities and a means of contributing to environmental protection. (PHOTO: Edi Saputra)
Cooperation with USU and the Business Sector
Prof. Arida Susilowati, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at USU, emphasised the importance of cooperation between universities and regional government. The aim is to translate research findings into practical applications, support regional development and address the needs of local communities.
Such partnerships can bring scientific expertise together with practical requirements on the ground. Universities can contribute to selecting suitable plant species, developing cultivation methods and researching ways to process forestry products. The regional government, meanwhile, can facilitate programme implementation and encourage greater community participation.
One topic discussed was the planned partnership between USU's Faculty of Forestry and PT Adi Askara Bumi (AAB), a subsidiary of the Pertamina Foundation, for a tree-planting initiative. The activity is scheduled to take place on 29 October 2026 at USU Campus II in Kwala Bekala, Pancur Batu District.
The planned planting activity forms part of broader discussions on strengthening environmental awareness through collaboration among different stakeholders. The regional government hopes partnerships with educational institutions and businesses will advance reforestation efforts while opening up new opportunities to develop commercially valuable raw materials.
The collaboration could also help incorporate forestry research more effectively into regional development programmes. With careful planning, tree planting should not only expand vegetation cover but also support sustainable environmental management.
COOPERATION WITH UNIVERSITIES: Prof. Arida Susilowati, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Sumatera Utara, emphasises the importance of cooperation between universities and regional government to translate research findings into practical development initiatives that benefit local communities. (PHOTO: Edi Saputra)
Bamboo's Potential for Biochar and Energy Production
The meeting also explored opportunities to develop bamboo in collaboration with partners from the United Kingdom. Discussions included the potential production of biochar, oil-based products derived from processing and electricity. This places bamboo on the agenda as an industrial raw material that could be used to produce a variety of value-added goods.
Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced by processing biomass under oxygen-limited conditions. Depending on the feedstock and production method, it can serve various purposes, including improving soil quality. Suitable technologies for processing biomass can also help produce energy and energy-related products.
However, adopting these processing technologies requires technical assessments, economic feasibility studies, a reliable supply of raw materials and secure markets for the resulting products. Environmental impacts must also be assessed to ensure that production genuinely meets sustainability principles.
Involvement by international partners could improve access to expertise, technology and processing models that can be adapted to local conditions. Their application, however, must be tailored to the bamboo species available, the capabilities of local communities and the needs of regional industries.
For Deli Serdang, this prospect could pave the way for broader use of non-timber forest products and the development of an economy based on local resources. With appropriate planning and the right partnerships, bamboo cultivation could help reconcile environmental protection with economic value creation.
The Deli Serdang Regency Government hopes cooperation between the regional administration, universities and businesses will deliver tangible benefits for both the environment and local livelihoods. Promoting bamboo cultivation, organising tree-planting activities and assessing new processing technologies are part of wider efforts to pursue development that balances economic needs with the preservation of natural resources.
Through this collaboration, communities are expected to gain sustainable alternative sources of income over the long term. At the same time, local resources could be developed into productive economic assets without compromising the ecological functions of forest areas.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Edi Saputra | EDITOR: Fik Sagala