South Kalimantan Forestry Service Launches 'Rimba Mart' to Boost Non-Timber Forest Products

The South Kalimantan Forestry Service has launched ‘Rimba Mart’ as a new platform to expand the market for non-timber forest products (NTFPs) produced by forest farmer groups, aiming to enhance the economic value of forestry products based on forest and land rehabilitation.

South Kalimantan Governor Muhidin stated that the regional government fully supports the development of Rimba Mart as a means of promoting and marketing NTFPs to the wider public. “This will increase the economic benefits derived from forest resource management,” he said during the inauguration at the Tropical Rainforest Park in Banjarbaru on Thursday.

To strengthen the innovation, Governor Muhidin directed the implementation of a productive planting concept within the area, focusing on various fruit-bearing plants, particularly endemic local species. This approach is intended to create a green environment while simultaneously providing economic and educational benefits.

Head of the South Kalimantan Forestry Service, Fathimatuzzahra, explained that the service plans to further develop Rimba Mart by involving more forest farmer groups. The goal is to make the potential of NTFPs from various regions more widely known and to deliver broader economic benefits to the community.

The initiative involves forest farmer groups fostered by Forest Management Units, the Sultan Adam Grand Forest Park, and the Forest Plant Seedling Centre, as well as groups holding Forest Area Use Approval permits. Fathimatuzzahra expressed hope that Rimba Mart will become a sustainable programme that expands market access for NTFPs, improves the welfare of forest farmer groups, and strengthens the success of forest and land rehabilitation programmes through community-based economic empowerment.