APHI: Papua Has Huge Potential to Develop Multi-Business Forestry

The Indonesian Forestry Entrepreneurs Association (APHI) assesses that Papua has enormous potential to develop forestry business transformation through a Multi-Business Forestry approach. APHI Chairman Soewarso stated in Jakarta on Friday that through the Multi-Business Forestry approach, the sector can optimise not only timber forest products but also non-timber forest products and environmental services. “With aligned policy support between the central and regional governments, Papua’s forestry sector can provide a far greater contribution to state revenue, regional income, infrastructure development, job creation, and improving community welfare,” Soewarso said. He added that APHI is currently conducting a roadshow to several regions to strengthen collaboration with local governments, universities, and stakeholders in driving the transformation of the national forestry sector, including with the Papua Provincial Government. He explained that APHI is encouraging the formulation of a medium to long-term forestry development roadmap for Papua as a direction for developing a more competitive and sustainable forestry sector, capable of reviving the forestry industry from upstream to downstream. According to him, the roadmap is also expected to serve as a basis for developing forest product processing industries closer to raw material sources, developing carbon environmental services while maintaining the sustainability of timber production, and refining various policies that support the competitiveness of Papuan forestry products. Soewarso said that during a meeting between APHI officials and Papua Governor Mathius D Fakhiri in Jayapura on Wednesday (24/6), the association proposed several strategic policies. These included opening direct export access for sawn timber from Papua, refining the processed timber cross-section policy to increase the utilisation of wood species other than merbau, and harmonising central and regional policies to accelerate the implementation of forest management transformation through Multi-Business Forestry (MUK). Papua Governor Mathius D Fakhiri expressed support for forestry sector development that can improve community welfare while preserving the environment through the formulation of a forestry development roadmap and forest management transformation based on multi-business forestry. He said the Papua Provincial Government is open to various initiatives that can strengthen the forestry sector’s contribution to the regional economy and indigenous communities through the implementation of sustainable forest management. “We welcome various programmes that can increase business actors’ contribution to regional revenue while improving the welfare of the Papuan people through sustainable forest management that does not damage the environment,” he said. He added that the local government is also continuously strengthening supporting infrastructure, including increasing the capacity of Jayapura Port and building a port in Sarmi Regency, to support the development of the forestry industry and the export of forest products from Papua. According to Mathius, the proposal for direct sawn timber exports from Papua and the expansion of the processed timber cross-section policy need to be supported by scientific data and comprehensive studies outlined in the Papua forestry development roadmap, so that it can serve as a basis for policy coordination between the regional and central governments. The meeting also discussed opportunities to strengthen forestry education financing through optimising the use of customary land compensation funds. APHI will subsequently hold technical discussions with the Papua Provincial Forestry and Environment Service regarding the formulation of a five to ten-year forest management roadmap for Papua.