Prabowo Provides Presidential Assistance Fund to Fence Way Kambas National Park

JAKARTA — President Prabowo Subianto has decided to allocate presidential assistance funds to construct fencing or canals that will separate Way Kambas National Park from residential areas. This decision was announced by Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni following a limited cabinet meeting to discuss elephant conservation at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, 12 March 2026.

“With President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment to Indonesian wildlife conservation, he has decided to allocate Presidential Assistance funds to construct fencing or canals that will separate Way Kambas National Park from the settlements and villages located along the National Park in Lampung,” said Raja Juli.

Raja Juli stated that the decision was made after President Prabowo highlighted the longstanding conflict between wildlife and humans in the region. One incident involved a village head killed by an elephant in recent months. This occurs because elephants, a protected species, attempt to enter and traverse villages and agricultural lands.

“A village head has died. There has been conflict between elephants and humans for years—decades, in fact—at Way Kambas in Lampung,” said Raja Juli.

Raja Juli explained that the fencing and canal installation project is currently in the pilot testing and comprehensive study phase, drawing on experience from Africa and India in managing national parks. “There will likely be embankments in some locations, but also fencing made of very strong steel. We are currently testing its strength,” said Raja Juli.

Additionally, the government will develop community empowerment centres along the embankments. “For example, in some areas outside the fence, there could be beekeeping centres, which would protect nature and wildlife, support cattle feed through grassland agriculture, whilst also benefiting community development,” concluded Raja Juli.