Swasembada Mitra Bersama (SMB) is the first modern rice mill in the province of Riau. We are unique in that we are not only mill rice, but we also plant rice of our own. In addition to food production, we also provide services and materials to small farmers, where they will pay with rice once they harvest. We believe food production needs to be sustainable, and thus we encourage all our partner-farmers to strive for green farming practices.

Since this is my own family business, the job I do has no actual boundary. In plantations, I am responsible for the whole operations. These include approving annual budget for each plantation, setting goals and strategies for each plantation, and improving the production of each plantation. In finance, my responsibilities include managing cash flow, setting goals and strategies, and improving cost efficiency. Other areas of my responsibilities include human resources development, research and… Show more Since this is my own family business, the job I do has no actual boundary. In plantations, I am responsible for the whole operations. These include approving annual budget for each plantation, setting goals and strategies for each plantation, and improving the production of each plantation. In finance, my responsibilities include managing cash flow, setting goals and strategies, and improving cost efficiency. Other areas of my responsibilities include human resources development, research and development, and new business development.Within the group, I started a consultancy and R&D company called Central Plantations Services. Within a year of its founding, many plantations across Indonesia have become its clients. In this company, Starting this company equipped me with knowledge and skills required in areas such as legal, financial and operational side of starting a company in Indonesia. I also develop skills such as marketing, business negotiation and export import handling as the company starts to deal with national and international companies, Show less

I oversee a department that is responsible for pioneering works and designing experiments in new research areas with potential benefit the new company in the future. I am leading a team of 4 researchers who in turn lead 30 technicians in total.The first researcher is responsible for continuing the works on haploidy, doubled haploids, and finally F1 hybrid breeding. The works included high-throughput phenotyping, chromosome doubling, in vitro techniques, polyploidy, nursery and field… Show more I oversee a department that is responsible for pioneering works and designing experiments in new research areas with potential benefit the new company in the future. I am leading a team of 4 researchers who in turn lead 30 technicians in total.The first researcher is responsible for continuing the works on haploidy, doubled haploids, and finally F1 hybrid breeding. The works included high-throughput phenotyping, chromosome doubling, in vitro techniques, polyploidy, nursery and field practices, and artificial fertilizations. The second researcher is working with seed physiology, which works included plant growth regulators, embryology, plant sexual reproduction, and mutation breeding. The third researcher is a cytologist, whose works included inflorescence microscopy, FISH, GISH, and flow cytometry. Finally, we started the bioinformatics programme in the company to take advantages and analyze huge data collected over the history of the company. The bioinformatics work included building reliable databases, biostatistics, genotyping, and sequence analyses.The team has 4 succeeded methods, which patent applications have recently been submitted. Show less

My PhD project was on the production of true breeding lines in oil palm. The project included anther/microspore culture, induced parthenogenesis, and high-throughput screening for spontaneous haploids. I designed a high-throughput system to screen for morphologically abnormal germinated seeds, followed by molecular marker screening, then by flow cytometry analysis, and upkeep of the plants in the nursery. I built the databases for the millions of seeds screened to ensure that every single seeds… Show more My PhD project was on the production of true breeding lines in oil palm. The project included anther/microspore culture, induced parthenogenesis, and high-throughput screening for spontaneous haploids. I designed a high-throughput system to screen for morphologically abnormal germinated seeds, followed by molecular marker screening, then by flow cytometry analysis, and upkeep of the plants in the nursery. I built the databases for the millions of seeds screened to ensure that every single seeds could be traced back to its origin and all its phenotypes were recorded. I trained 6 new technicians to work at this project.This project resulted in the first ever reported oil palm haploids. The method has now been patented and applicable to other species too. The system currently is running with 3 millions germinated seeds phenotyped monthly. It created a position and a new company, focusing on F1 hybrid productions. Show less

I led and managed the newly formed lab while the lab manager was on maternity leave. The lab had 2 laboratory technicians and just started its operation. The laboratory works involved DNA extraction from oil palm, PCR reactions with various molecular markers, and gel electrophoresis reactions and documentations. Other responsibilities included writing and presenting reports of the laboratory works, purchasing lab equipments and consumables, and making sure all procedures were according to the… Show more I led and managed the newly formed lab while the lab manager was on maternity leave. The lab had 2 laboratory technicians and just started its operation. The laboratory works involved DNA extraction from oil palm, PCR reactions with various molecular markers, and gel electrophoresis reactions and documentations. Other responsibilities included writing and presenting reports of the laboratory works, purchasing lab equipments and consumables, and making sure all procedures were according to the ISO standards.At the end of the assignment, the lab had 4 well-trained additional lab technicians, and a new experiment designed to screen for spontaneous haploid in oil palm. I was offered a sponsorship for a PhD study in the University of Reading Show less