ASIATODAY.ID, SURABAYA — PT Pangan Jaya Baya, a subsidiary of Kana Cooperative under Kana Group, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Faculty of Agriculture of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) to develop large-scale sugarcane planting and cultivation across East Java.
The agreement was signed at Graha Wardhana in Surabaya on December 22, 2025 as part of broader efforts to strengthen the foundations of Indonesia’s national sugar industry through productivity enhancement and research-based development.
The collaboration covers the management of 22,000 hectares of sugarcane plantations located in several strategic areas of East Java. The project is projected to create up to 60,000 jobs, while generating significant multiplier effects for regional economies and the agribusiness sector.
The cooperation agreement was signed by Jonathan Danang Wardhana, President Commissioner of Kana Group, and Ir. Jaka Widada, M.P., Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Gadjah Mada University.
Jonathan Danang Wardhana emphasized that collaboration with academic institutions is a key component of Kana Group’s long-term strategy to build an efficient and competitive national food industry.
“Synergy between the business sector and academia is essential to boost agricultural productivity while strengthening the structure of Indonesia’s food industry,” he said.
He added that the large-scale sugarcane development is expected to improve the domestic supply structure of sugar raw materials and reduce dependence on imports over the medium to long term.
Meanwhile, Ir. Jaka Widada, M.P., Ph.D., stated that the partnership also opens opportunities for academic personnel, including lecturers and researchers from Faculty of Agriculture of UGM, to be directly involved in technical assistance, applied research, and human resource capacity building at the field level.
“This collaboration serves as a model for integrating university research with the real needs of industry,” he noted.
President Director of PT Pangan Jaya Baya, Ahmad Risdiannoor Wardhana, explained that the cooperation focuses on strengthening the upstream sugarcane sector through the application of research-based agricultural technologies.
One of the key innovations being developed is the ‘ringpit’ sugarcane planting technique, which is believed to be capable of increasing productivity by up to twofold compared to conventional planting methods.
“The ringpit technique has strong potential to increase yields while reducing production costs. With this approach, sugarcane cultivation can be managed more efficiently, measurably, and sustainably,” Aris said.
According to him, the project is designed as an integrated sugarcane management model involving farmers, local workers, and academic support, forming a solid agribusiness value chain from upstream to downstream.
Through this strategic partnership, PT Pangan Jaya Baya and the Faculty of Agriculture of UGM aim to develop a modern, standardized, and sustainable sugarcane cultivation system, while strengthening the contribution of the agricultural sector to national economic growth and food security. (Silvia Andriani)
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