Dr Yohannes MS Samosir is our Principal Advisor at RCA Carbon.

 

Dr Samosir holds a PhD in Agriculture, University of Queensland (UQ), Brisbane, Australia, PDipAgrSt (Postgraduate Diploma in Agricultural Studies), UQ, Brisbane, Australia and Bachelor in Agriculture, University of North Sumatra, Medan, Indonesia.

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Dr Samosir is currently General Manager, Head of Research and Development for Asian Agri, Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia. Asian Agri Group is one of Asia's largest palm oil producers, and pioneer of one of the largest and most successful community partnership schemes in Indonesia, with a plantation area of 160,000 hectares, of which 60,000 are owned and managed by smallholders, under the Nucleus-Plasma and KKPA partnership schemes. By educating smallholders with better agronomic practices, pest management, provision of high-yield seedlings, good fertilizing and plantation management practices, most of these smallholders have seen improved yields and incomes. The company has also assisted partnered smallholders in receiving sustainable certification, such as the RSPO.

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The practical knowledge of successful Nucleus-Plasma projects in Indonesia, is of critical relevance to any revitalisation of the smallholder coconut sector in Indonesia. RCA Carbon, as a willing learning organisation, is developing sustainable and regenerative agroforestry models with key inputs taken from the commercial experience of coconuts sister palm, and with the support and experience of Dr Samosir.

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Dr Samosir is a founding principal member of the Coconut Knowledge Center, Australia, and advises on technology for capacity development in sustainable planting material and research for the revitalisation of the coconut palm. Dr Samosir is the published author of the ‘Coconut World Bali’ concept, a proposal for the integration of coconut germplasm and genetic conservation with experiential tourism in the interests of coconut sustainability.

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Dr Samosir holds a number of senior professional positions within the palm oil industry, is a published academic and leads Coconut Knowledge Center advisory on deployment of sustainable planting material strategy and research strategy for the revitalisation of coconut palm. In his free time he is volunteering his time in the development of the ‘Land of Hope’, an agricultural based orphanage located in Medan, Sumatra and supporting empowerment of the community of Samosir Island in Lake Toba, Sumatra.

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Dr Samosir is previously; Vice President Bakrie Agriculture Research Institute (BARI). Senior supervisor of postgraduate students at University of Queensland Australia and North Sumatera University, Medan. Member Organizing Committee of International Conference and Exhibition on Palm Oil (ICEPO). Principal researcher Indonesian Palm Crop Research Institute (ICPRI), Principal Researcher on oil palm tissue culture. Research academic (Postdoctoral Research Fellow) at the School of Land and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia. Chairman of the Organizing Committee of International Coconut Forum, Australia 2005. Mentor for research training funded by The ATSE Crawford Fund, Australia.