Minister of Forestry Hands Over Social Forestry Decree in East Lombok to Strengthen Food Security
Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni handed over the social forestry decree to community groups surrounding a forest area in East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province (NTB), on Saturday 7 March 2026. The handing over of the decree forms part of the government’s efforts to strengthen national food security while also improving the welfare of communities through legal access to forest area management.
“Social forestry is a national strategic programme and the Ministry of Forestry supports the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto’s, related foods security programme,” the minister said in remarks after handing over the forest management decree for the Loang Gali Forest, Lenek District, East Lombok Regency.
He hoped the recipients of the decrees could maximise the programme, manage social forestry well, and render the forest productive through planting various crops to support food self-sufficiency.
“This land should be used well in supporting national food security,” he said.
The minister explained that under the current social forestry scheme, communities are granted legal access to manage forest areas. This differs from decades-old policies when communities frequently faced forest police upon entering the areas.
“If in the past communities entering the forest often faced forest police, today communities are given legal access to manage forest areas while still maintaining forest conservation,” he explained.
He revealed that in NTB Province there are tens of thousands of aspirations submitting applications for social forestry. He hopes the programme can act as a lever for the welfare of communities around forest areas.
“We hope this can be a lever for the welfare of the community. With the aim that the welfare of the communities around the areas also becomes prosperous,” he added.
Director General of Social Forestry at the Ministry of Forestry, Catur Endah Prasetya, stressed that handing over the social forestry management decree is an effort to improve the welfare of communities around forests. He asked the beneficiaries to maintain synergy with all parties in developing ventures in the area, from planting to marketing.
“The Ministry will continue to oversee from planting to marketing,” he said.
Collaboration to Realise Welfare and Forest Conservation
Meanwhile, the Department of Forestry (Dishut) of East Kalimantan Province (Kaltim) together with the Kutai Kartanegara Regency Government (Kukar) is collaborating to prosper communities through the social forestry programme. The collaboration aims for communities to gain economic benefits while preserving forest.
Acting Head of Kaltim’s Dishut Mohamad Subiantoro said that several commodities have been cultivated by various social forestry groups in Kukar. The products developed include non-timber forest products such as honey, nipa palm fronds, mangrove crabs, tiger prawns, and fisheries in the Delta Mahakam area.
“In addition, there are several processed products, such as fish crackers and prawns, palm sugar, as well as plantation and craft commodities such as bananas, chocolate, and weaving, which have developed in several subdistricts,” Subiantoro said in Tenggarong on Saturday.