Farming and plantation remain major income sources for many households in Indonesia. Due to the excessive land use, more farmers turn to organic practices to protect nature from damage.  Regarding innovation in farming, Pandawa Agri Indonesia is one of the forerunners committed to creating environment-friendly solutions for farmers. The life-science company introduced its reductant pesticide solution at the P4G Entrepreneurs and SMEs Challenge. The company aims to create healthy, safe products to combine with other pesticides. Their products have helped farmers and business partners in Indonesia build sustainable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective farms.

It is estimated that global pesticide usage stands at 3.5 million tons. Although pesticides benefit crop production, excessive and continuous use can jeopardize the environment. In addition, long-term pesticide exposure can cause several severe health problems, such as skin irritation, lung damage, and heart or kidney failure. There are many alternatives to reducing pesticides, but many can not match the same effectiveness and efficiency as a reductant solution.

What are Reductant Pesticides?

The reductant pesticide created by Pandawara Agri Indonesia can reduce synthetic pesticides by up to 50%. It maintains the same efficiency level while reducing synthetic pesticide residues in soil. The reductant pesticide comprises 70% local organic and 30% non-toxic synthetic materials. Furthermore, using their reductant pesticide can increase the cost efficiency for pesticide application by up to 40%. Reductants also reduce the dose of herbicides. Studies have shown that a reduced dosage of herbicides is as effective as full-dose herbicides when added to the reductant solution.

Pandawa Agri Indonesia has worked with farmers all across Indonesia to create sustainable farming. They helped reduce pesticides by over a million liters and saved farmers’ pesticide costs by half. It is estimated that 30% of global emissions that cause climate change are due to agricultural activities, including the usage of pesticides. The company aims to create solutions that can be applied not only to Indonesia but to other countries as well.

This is one of the main reasons the company participated in the P4G Entrepreneurs and SMEs Challenge. The online exhibition allowed them to connect with farmers and showcase their products to organizations worldwide. Additionally, they could pitch their business to potential investors through matched IR sessions. 

Mayur Singh is one of the investors that met with Pandawa through the P4G business matching. As a strong advocate for building businesses with a purpose, he actively mentors and invests in early-stage tech ventures in the alternative meat, cleantech, and agri-tech space. After meeting with the company, he shares that:

“It is great to see solutions in ASEAN which are looking to solve large local problems. The work being done by PT Pandawa Agri will go a long way towards ensuring not just a better use of Agri resources, but also towards food safety which is sustainable.”

Pandawa Agri Indonesia’s solutions have great potential to help fight climate change and create more sustainable agriculture globally.  If interested in the company’s business, visit their online exhibition booth through the P4G main event page!