The GMAE Essay Competition is an online competition open to both students and the general public, providing a platform for participants to express their ideas through essays. The registration phase began on November 11, 2024, and the award ceremony took place on December 14, 2024. With the major theme being innovation in agroindustry, the competition aimed to encourage creative solutions to challenges in the agricultural sector.

Faiz’s essay highlighted the importance of applying advanced technology in the palm oil industry. Global demand for palm oil continues to grow, reaching 77.9 million metric tons in 2023. However, the industry is also facing significant sustainability challenges, including deforestation, excessive pesticide use, and social conflicts arising from land expansion. To address these issues, Faiz proposed a solution involving AI and remote sensing technology to enhance efficiency and conservation in oil palm cultivation.

In his PAIRS essay, Faiz explains how AI and remote sensing technology can help manage oil palm plantations more efficiently and sustainably. Remote sensing technology enables real-time land monitoring through satellite imagery and optical sensors, allowing for the identification of land cover changes and the detection of illegal deforestation in palm oil plantations. Organizations such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) could utilize this data to ensure compliance with sustainability standards. Additionally, Faiz advocated for the use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to improve the accuracy of oil palm plantation identification. CNN technology is particularly effective in high-density tree areas, able to distinguish oil palm plantations from other vegetation and analyze the environmental impact of plantation expansion.

Complementing remote sensing, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with sensors and RGB cameras can be used to create virtual plantations. This technology enables detailed 3D mapping of land, facilitating more accurate plant health analysis and allowing farmers to detect early signs of disease or nutrient deficiencies. Moreover, it enhances the precision of harvest predictions, increasing production efficiency. By integrating these technologies, the palm oil industry can adopt precision agriculture practices that are both environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

Faiz stated, "I believe AI and remote sensing technologies have immense potential to optimize the agricultural sector, particularly the palm oil industry. As an Agricultural Engineering student at ITB, I see the importance of exploring technological innovations in precision agriculture to improve efficiency and sustainability. With advancements in digital technology, we have a unique opportunity to drive agricultural transformation toward a smarter and greener system. That is why I chose this topic for my essay—to propose solutions that can positively impact Indonesia’s agricultural industry."

Faiz’s success in the 2024 GMAE Essay Competition highlights that the integration of digital technology in agriculture is no longer just a concept but an urgent necessity to address modern industry challenges. With AI and remote sensing, oil palm cultivation can become more precise, environmentally friendly, and economically beneficial for industry stakeholders.

Reporter: Helga Evangelina (Agricultural Engineering Student, 2021)

Translator: Nafi’ah Rahni Nugrahanti (Civil Engineering Student, 2023)