Reserved forest uncultivated

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: A 100-hectare fruit plantation in Kutai village, Loleng, is facing imminent ruin only three years after its dedication, a researcher said on Monday.

M. Seting of the Institute for Environmental and Human Resources Development (Plasma) said after a seminar in the provincial capital that local people were reluctant to cultivate the plantation because of the government's top-down approach in the project.

Seting said forest fires during the prolonged drought between 1997 and 1998 had destroyed half of some 600 fruit trees planted shortly after a ceremony to mark the plantation's dedication in 1996.

Then state minister of food Ibrahim Hasan, then minister of forestry Djamaluddin Suryohadikusumo and then Armed Forces chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung dedicated the plantation, which was called a food reserve forest.

The planting involved soldiers and local people, who were paid with rice.

"After that, the people took no notice of whatever happened to the project because they did not have an interest in it. Besides, they were already growing fruit trees of their own," Seting said as quoted by Antara.

He suggested that the government play a back-seat role and let the people cultivate the plantation.