Denmark provides grant

Denmark provides grant

JAKARTA (JP): The government of Denmark has agreed to provide
a US$7.87 million grant to Indonesia to help secure high quality
tree seedlings for the country's reforestation efforts.

The agreement for the grant, which would help fund the
Indonesia Forest Tree Seed Project, was signed by Danish
Ambassador Michael Sternberg and Minister of Forestry Djamaludin
Suryohadikusumo here yesterday.

The project will help improve reforestation efforts carried
out from West Java's capital of Bandung, South Sumatra's capital
of Palembang, Banjar Baru regency in South Kalimantan and South
Sulawesi's capital of Ujungpandang.

Sternberg said that the project's long-term significance had
been further underlined in light of the importance of the
forestry sector to the Indonesian economy and due to the recent
setbacks to the sector from extensive forest fires last year.

Under the agreement, the Danish fund will be used to finance
the project's experts, equipment and material, supporting
personnel, training, transportation and administrative costs.

The Indonesian government will provide $1.9 million to finance
the project's offices, office operational and maintenance costs,
Indonesian staff members and training costs.

Djamaludin said that he hoped the project would be able to
significantly contribute to the forestry development and forest
plantation programs by addressing problems and constraints
related to seed production and distribution. (gis)