Forestry Ministry Readies Post-Disaster Coffee Plantation Recovery Programme in Aceh

The Ministry of Forestry is preparing a special programme and integrated budget allocation to restore Gayo coffee plantation areas based on agroforestry, which were affected by landslides and floods in Aceh Province. Vice Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki, during a working meeting with Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) in Jakarta on Thursday, stated that this tactical measure is being implemented through the Directorate General of Social Forestry via an intensive assistance scheme for local farmers in the Gayo Highlands cluster. “For example in Aceh, the Gayo Highlands, many landslides and floods occurred there, and the commodity is Gayo coffee. Through the Directorate General of Social Forestry, we will have a programme and budget to provide assistance so that the coffee agroforestry in the affected areas can be restored,” he said. Rohmat explained that the upstream ecological and economic recovery intervention covers the administrative regions of Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, Bireuen, and Gayo Lues districts. To finance the recovery, the Ministry is not only relying on the state budget execution list but is also proposing alternative funding through the Environmental Fund Management Agency at the Ministry of Finance. He also affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to continue coordinating closely with relevant authorities so that the proposed 2026 Additional Cost Budget can be realised promptly. The budget proposed for restoring damaged forest areas in Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra reaches IDR 8 trillion. Addressing the issue of forest damage, Rohmat added that the Ministry is committed to suppressing the annual deforestation rate by strengthening land clearing monitoring systems, area protection, and law enforcement involving local governments. This step aligns with the insistence of Commission IV Deputy Chair Alexendra Lukman, who chaired the meeting and reminded that the budget for recovering from natural disasters occurring in 2025 should not be continuously postponed or shifted to become a burden on the following year’s additional budget. “Let’s be concrete, because the disaster was in 2025, the argument is for the 2026 additional budget. Okay, until now it hasn’t been realised. What we mean is, don’t let this become the 2027 additional budget. If it keeps being additional budget year after year, when will the recovery be completed? Just like that. Okay. Do we agree on that, Mr Vice Minister?” said Alexandra. Alexandra, along with the majority of parliamentary members in the meeting, viewed the recovery efforts as important, considering the extent of forest shrinkage or damage that triggered floods accompanied by landslides with significant impacts in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. The affected area amounts to 1.2 million hectares.