Social forestry program atop Sumahadi's agenda<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Newly appointed Minister of Forestry and
\nPlantations Sumahadi promised Saturday he would make the social
\nforestry program his top priority during his five-year tenure.<\/p>\n
Sumahadi said social forestry -- an agroforestry program which
\nallows villagers to plant crops on unused lands on timber estates
\nand plantation areas -- was essential to improve living standards
\nin rural areas.<\/p>\n
Although the social forestry program was introduced several
\nyears ago, Sumahadi said it was not used optimally because many
\ntimber and plantations companies were halfhearted in their
\nefforts.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the media following the announcement of the new
\ncabinet lineup, he said he would be more resolute in pursuing the
\nrealization of the program to ensure positive gains for the
\nvillagers.<\/p>\n
\"It will not work if we just suggest the company develop
\nagroforestry, but we have to order them to ensure that the
\nprogram is carried out,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Agroforestry, known locally as tumpang sari, is one of the
\nsocial forestry programs implemented by the Ministry of Forestry
\nsince 1991 to improve the welfare of villagers living near timber
\nestates and plantations.<\/p>\n
Villagers are allowed to plant rice and other seasonal crops
\nsuch as peanuts, corn and soybeans in the forest concession
\nareas.<\/p>\n
He said companies which developed industrial forests or
\nplantations in their concession areas would have nothing to lose
\nby permitting the local villagers to farm on their land.<\/p>\n
At least 750,000 hectares of forests are developed into
\nplantations and timber estates annually.<\/p>\n
\"If one hectare of converted forest could produce at least two
\ntons of rice by using the agroforestry program, imagine how much
\nwe could get,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sumahadi added that he would also improve other functions of
\nforest resources, such as their function as tourist attractions.<\/p>\n
\"People only know the forest as the producer of wood, rattan
\nand resin, but the forest has many other functions. If we can
\ndevelop the forest as a tourism site, it could be a big foreign
\nexchange earner.\"<\/p>\n
He listed the Ujung Kulon National Park in West Java and
\nBunaken marine park in North Sulawesi as tourist sites which had
\nyet to be developed fully.<\/p>\n
Sumahadi said he would also emphasize the use of what is
\ncommonly known as the stripe cutting and planting system to boost
\nwood production, which has been on the decline in the past 10
\nyears.<\/p>\n
He said the system, introduced by his predecessor Djamaludin
\nSuryohadikusumo, not only increased wood production from natural
\nforests, but also better protected the environment.<\/p>\n
Born on Nov. 8, 1943, in Pekalongan, Central Java, Sumahadi
\nearned his undergraduate degree from Gadjah Mada University's
\nSchool of Forestry in 1970. He earned his master's in business
\nadministration from Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba Laguna
\nin the Philippines in 1992.<\/p>\n
He married Retno Endah Winarni, his junior at the university,
\nin 1969 and they have four children.<\/p>\n
Sumahadi began his career at the forestry ministry shortly
\nafter graduating from Gadjah Mada. He worked as the head of the
\nsupervisory unit of the forestry services office in Central
\nKalimantan.<\/p>\n
He served as director general of reforestation and forest
\nrehabilitation (1993-1995) and his most recent position was
\ndirector general of inventory and forest land use (1995-1998).<\/p>\n
He is known for his friendliness, and has long been a favorite
\nof journalists whose regular beat is the forestry ministry.<\/p>\n
Retno said Sumahadi's favorite cuisine was Javanese, including
\nthe dishes of sayur lodeh (vegetables stewed in coconut milk) and
\ntempe bacem (soybean cake).<\/p>\n
The minister enjoys singing and listening to music. He met his
\nwife when they were members of a singing group at Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity.<\/p>\n
He has even been known to invite journalists accompanying him
\non tours to other provinces to join him in singing karaoke tunes.
\n(gis)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/social-forestry-program-atop-sumahadis-agenda-1447893297",
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