APHI Committed to Supporting Forest and Land Fire Prevention Amid El Niño

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Forestry Entrepreneurs Association (APHI) states that the forestry business sector is committed to supporting government efforts, both central and regional, in preventing forest and land fires (karhutla), especially in facing the potential for an extreme El Niño phenomenon. “Facing the potential for an extreme El Niño, APHI and all forestry business actors are committed to fully supporting government efforts in preventing karhutla,” said APHI General Chairman Soewarso in his statement in Jakarta on Friday. APHI, he continued, is strengthening strategic synergy with regional governments, one of which is the Jambi Provincial Government, in efforts to prevent forest and land fires (karhutla) while promoting the development of landscape-based and community partnership Forestry Multi-Business (MUK) as an integrated approach at the field level. Strengthening collaboration, according to him during APHI’s visit to the Jambi Regional Government, is crucial amid increasing karhutla risks due to climate change dynamics, including the potential for extreme dry seasons. Therefore, systematic preventive steps are needed, starting from strengthening policies on non-burning land preparation, increasing business actor capacity, to empowering communities around forest areas. Soewarso explained that the Forestry Multi-Business approach not only contributes to economic improvement but also serves as a solution in resolving tenurial conflicts and mitigating karhutla risks through more productive and sustainable land management. Meanwhile, Jambi Governor Al Haris expressed appreciation for the support from APHI and forestry business actors in his region in efforts to prevent karhutla, which is one of the province’s strategic issues. He emphasised that collaboration between regional government and the private sector is key to anticipating fire risks, especially amid increasingly challenging climate dynamics. The regional government, he continued, is currently preparing non-burning land preparation policies as part of a preventive strategy. In this regard, forestry business actors are expected to provide best practice examples in the field that can be replicated by the community. He added that partnerships and community involvement are key factors in preventing karhutla, given that communities are the frontline in land management. The Governor affirmed that the Jambi Provincial Government also supports the development of landscape-based MUK through community partnership schemes by promoting leading commodities like vanilla as sustainable economic alternatives.