Ministry of Forestry Issues Six Social Forestry Decrees Exclusively for Women in NTT

Labuan Bajo, NTT - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) has issued six new Social Forestry Decrees in Nusa Tenggara Timur Province (NTT), specifically granting management opportunities to women’s farmer groups, with women comprising 93 percent of the total managers.

Social Forestry Director General Catur Endah Prasetiani, in Labuan Bajo, NTT, on Thursday, stated that the issuance of these decrees represents a breakthrough to enhance women’s tangible role in leading the management of natural resources. Nationally, their involvement as holders of new legal social forestry access has reached seven percent.

“This is the breakthrough we are making in the spirit of Kartini, where women are given space to take on real leadership roles in managing natural resources from upstream to downstream,” Catur said during the restorative forum celebrating the Social Forestry Decrees for women’s groups at Kampus Bambu, Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai.

The six decrees, covering an area of 648.65 hectares, were granted to 335 managers. Their locations include one decree in West Manggarai Regency, two in East Manggarai, one in Manggarai, and two in Sikka Regency.

The Ministry of Forestry views this shift in roles as important because the female managers are beginning to think economically in selecting productive crops with high market value, such as cloves and candlenuts.

“This demonstrates women’s independence in determining the direction of their land management,” said Catur, accompanied by Veronika Tan, Deputy Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA).

The Ministry of Forestry is committed to continuously monitoring the progress of these female managers through the NTT Social Forestry Agency in Kupang, with the hope that this breakthrough can serve as a new command for women’s resurgence in preserving forests while improving family economies.