Mekar Asta Nusantara Receives Appreciation from the East Java Provincial Government for Supporting the Development of Social Forestry and Agroforestry in Jember

Photo: Special

JAKARTA - PT Mekar Asta Nusantara (MANU) received appreciation from the East Java Provincial Government for its contribution and support in the development of Social Forestry in East Java.

The award was given in the context of the 2026 East Java Social Forestry Jamboree organized by the East Java Provincial Forestry Service at Alun-Alun Reksogati, Madiun Regency.

This activity was also attended by the Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Director General of Social Forestry of the Ministry of Forestry Catur Endah Prasetiani, S.Si., M.T. representing the Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, central and regional government officials, academics, business world, and more than 800 participants consisting of Forest Farmers Groups (KTH) and Social Forestry business actors from various regions in East Java.

Coinciding with the one-year journey of MANU, the appreciation from the East Java Provincial Government is a special gift and a form of recognition for the company's commitment to supporting the development of Social Forestry business through technical assistance, strengthening partnerships, market access, and the development of agroforestry of food crops with the Forest Farmers Group in Jember Regency.

In his remarks, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration between the government, business world, academics, and the community in supporting sustainable forest management while improving the welfare of people around the forest area.

Khofifah said that East Java is currently the province with the largest area of Social Forestry in Indonesia, reaching almost 30 percent of the total national area. In addition, the value of economic transactions from the Social Forestry sector in East Java is also the highest compared to other provinces in Indonesia.

According to him, these achievements need to be strengthened through the development of agroforestry business and the downstreaming of products supported by partnerships with the business world and universities.

"If there is technological intervention, university assistance, and partnerships with the business world, then downstream can be developed so that products have higher added value," said Khofifah when opening the 2026 East Java Social Forestry Jamboree.

In addition to receiving appreciation, MANU also participated in the Social Forestry Jambore exhibition which featured various programs and results of agricultural and agroforestry partnerships that the company had carried out. MANU's presence in this activity is part of the company's commitment to strengthen collaboration with farmers and forest farmers in creating wider economic opportunities for the community around the forest area.

As part of the MEKAR Ecosystem, MANU also supports the development of the real economy through the agricultural and agroforestry sectors with farmers' groups and forest farmers' groups in Jember Regency.

Through strengthening partnerships with farmers, cultivation assistance, to the absorption of harvest results, MANU realizes the commitment of the MEKAR Ecosystem in creating real added value and long-term economic benefits for the community.

Through this approach, MANU encourages that the Social Forestry area not only serves to maintain environmental sustainability, but also becomes a productive source of livelihood for people around the forest.

Previously, MANU had signed a cooperation agreement with the Yogyakarta Social Forestry Office and the East Java Forestry Service in supporting the development of Social Forestry. In addition, MANU also collaborated with Jember University to strengthen human resource development and encourage the involvement of the younger generation in the agricultural sector.

The President Director of PT Mekar Asta Nusantara, Evi Febriana Suhardi, said that this award was an encouragement for MANU to continue to present programs that provide real benefits for farmers.

"Our hope is simple. We want people around the forest to be able to get real economic benefits from the land they manage. MANU wants to be a partner who is present from the beginning to the end, from cultivation to the harvest being absorbed by the market. Because we believe, when farmers advance, the farmer's family advances, the region develops, and the benefits can be felt by more people," he said in a written statement, Thursday, June 18.

In the future, MANU is committed to continuing to expand partnerships with farmers and forest farmers through cultivation assistance, development of agricultural commodities, facilitation of access to various government programs, and absorption of farmers' production as part of efforts to improve community welfare and strengthen rural economies.

The East Java Social Forestry Jamboree 2026 carries the theme "Sustainable Forest, Prosperous Society" and is a forum for collaboration between the government, universities, businesses, and the community in strengthening sustainable forest management while creating greater economic benefits for the community around the forest area.