Indonesia’s Answer to Land Fires? Cassava Flour.

Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is testing cassava flour as a new tool to prevent forest and land fires. The agency says the flour is still under study and has not yet been widely deployed. Cassava flour, a common food ingredient, is being examined for its potential to stabilize peatlands. Peatlands are wet, carbon-rich soils that become highly flammable when dried out. When drained for farming, they are a major source of the thick smoke that blankets Southeast Asia during the dry season. BRIN’s research focuses on whether spreading cassava flour on these dried areas can keep them moist. If the flour absorbs and holds water, it may stop the ground from drying to the point where it can catch fire. The project is still in its testing phase. Researchers have not released results yet, but early trials suggest the method could be a cheap and local alternative to chemical treatments. No timeline has been given for when the cassava flour method might be ready for real-world use. BRIN says further field tests are needed to confirm its effectiveness on a large scale.