Socfindo Oven House: Adding Value to Conservation Plants and Empowering Local Communities

As part of its sustainability commitment, Socfindo Conservation established the Oven House at PT Socfindo Aek Loba Estate as a downstream processing center for medicinal and beneficial plants cultivated within conservation areas and by surrounding communities. At the Oven House, plants such as peppermint, moringa, roselle, and other herbs are processed into value-added products, including herbal teas. Peppermint is sourced not only from Socfindo Conservation’s medicinal plant gardens (TOGA) but also purchased from local community members, creating additional income opportunities for residents.

The Oven House also collaborates with local sap farmers to produce palm sugar powder (gula semut), a natural sweetener with higher market value and longer shelf life. Through the processing of herbal teas, moringa products, and palm sugar powder, Socfindo Conservation demonstrates how conservation efforts can generate tangible economic benefits while supporting environmental sustainability. Most of the participating community members are employees of PT Socfindo or their family members. The Oven House serves as a practical example of how biodiversity conservation, community empowerment, and local economic development can grow together, creating a more sustainable future for both people and nature.