In Indonesia, large areas of forest are lost every year. The local population, which relies on the forest as a source of income, is particularly feeling the consequences.
One way for small farmers to generate short-term income without cutting down more rainforest is to extract essential oils. Whether as a component of personal care products, cosmetics or even food, natural products are in demand worldwide.
In order to process plants like patchouli (also called nilam), which are planted by farmers on their land in Gunung Mas county, directly into valuable oils, a still is needed. The construction of this distillery also serves as a lighthouse project for the construction of other distilleries in the region.