Unsri and CIFOR Test the Development of Nyamplung as a Restoration Plant and Source of Bioenergy on Peatlands in OKI

Nyamplung is a plant species with the potential to support the optimization of peatlands while also serving as a source of plant-based energy. This plant offers several advantages, including high fruit yield, year-round fruiting, an oil content of approximately 30 to 74 percent, and the production of waste that can be recycled.

Until now, nyamplung has been better known as a forest plant that grows on mineral soil and in coastal areas, where it helps act as a windbreak. Its use on peatlands is still relatively new. In South Sumatra, this plant is being piloted on peatlands in Peringgi Talang Nangka Village, Pangkalan Lampam Subdistrict, Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency.

One of the plots used for this development project belongs to Haji Nungcik, a local resident. The three-hectare plot was once damaged by fire in 1997 and caught fire again in 2015. Before the nyamplung cultivation project began, the land was used to grow sonor rice—a type of seedling rice that can only be harvested once a year.

For the local community, sonor rice is one of the primary sources of production in the peatland area. Under certain conditions, one hectare of land can yield about 3 to 4 metric tons of rice. However, the harvest is heavily influenced by weather conditions. Part of the production is used to meet family needs, while the rest is sold.

In addition to growing rice, the community also uses purun plants to produce mats and various other handicrafts. Purun mats are generally sold for around 60,000 rupiah per mat. Nevertheless, options for utilizing peatland remain limited. Nungcik explained that the community has so far relied solely on rice cultivation and the use of purun as the primary economic sources derived from the land.

Limited knowledge about peatland management prompted Nungcik to participate in a research program conducted by Sriwijaya University (Unsri) in collaboration with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). Through this research, the community was introduced to various types of forestry plants, such as belangeran (Shorea balangeran), jelutung (Dyera lowii), bintaro (Cerbera manghas), swamp meranti (Shorea pauciflora), perepat (Combretocarpus rotundatus), and medang maras (Blumeodendron kurzii).

One of the plants that Nungcik recently learned about through the program is nyamplung. This plant not only offers ecological benefits but also has the potential to be used as a source of biofuel. In addition to planting nyamplung, Nungcik has also developed a fish pond on his land. The fish being farmed include catfish as well as species suited to peatland conditions, such as tembakang, betok, and gabus.

Managing ponds on peatland requires special care, particularly to control the water’s acidity level. One measure taken is adding lime to prevent the water from becoming too acidic. Crop management also requires adjustments, such as creating raised beds for planting and regulating the planting elevation for nyamplung and other crops.

Sumantri, a peatland community activist who has been assisting Nungcik, noted that this site is the only demonstration plot for nyamplung cultivation in Peringgi Talang Nangka Village. The existence of this pilot site has begun to draw public attention to the various potential uses of peatland. Moving forward, crop development plans include a combination of nyamplung and mango cultivation, as well as utilizing nyamplung to support honey production.

Nyamplung for Peatland Restoration and Bioenergy

According to Yustina Artati, a CIFOR researcher, the introduction of nyamplung to peatlands was initially aimed at optimizing land that frequently experiences fires. The cultivation of this plant is part of restoration efforts to improve the productivity of degraded land while preventing forest and land fires.

Nyamplung is a new crop introduced to the people of South Sumatra, specifically for cultivation in peatland areas. Previously, local communities were more familiar with seasonal crops such as rice and fruit trees. Unlike these crops, nyamplung is a woody plant classified as a forestry species.

Pilot projects for nyamplung cultivation on peatlands have also been conducted in Kalimantan. One research site is located in Buntoi Village, Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan. In that area, nyamplung is being cultivated alongside other bioenergy crops, such as kemiri sunan, kaliandra, and gamal. Nyamplung is also being planted in Kalampangan, Palangka Raya.

Based on planting results since 2016 in Kalimantan, nyamplung has been able to survive on peatlands with a survival rate of up to 90 percent. These results indicate that nyamplung has the potential to thrive in peatland ecosystems.

Meanwhile, the nyamplung seeds used in Peringgi Talang Nangka Village originated from Dompu, West Nusa Tenggara. These seeds differ from the nyamplung previously cultivated in Kalimantan. Planting of nyamplung at this site began in early 2018 alongside eight other forest tree species. Research was conducted to identify plant species suitable for peatland restoration, given that peat has relatively low nutrient content. Based on planting experience in Kalimantan, nyamplung takes more than three years before it begins to flower and bear fruit.

In addition to its potential to support peatland restoration, nyamplung can also be processed into biofuel. Budi Leksono, a Senior Researcher at the Center for Biotechnology and Forest Tree Breeding Research (BBPBPTH) under the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, explained that nyamplung has potential as a source of plant-based energy in Indonesia.

The plant’s advantages lie in its high fruit productivity, ability to bear fruit year-round, and potential oil content of approximately 30 to 74 percent. Additionally, the waste from its processing can still be reused. In South Sumatra, nyamplung cultivation is being developed on previously burned and degraded peatlands to support land restoration while also exploring other potential uses.

Thus, the development of nyamplung in Peringgi Talang Nangka Village represents an effort to integrate peatland ecosystem restoration with economic and renewable energy potential. This plant is expected to serve as a more productive alternative for peatland utilization without compromising environmental sustainability.