Jokowi Targets 34 Thousand Hectares Of Mangrove Land To Be Restored

Jokowi's speech during mangrove planting in Tritih Kulon Village, North Cilacap District (Photo: Youtube Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency as well as the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) to restore 34 thousand hectares of mangrove land throughout the country.

This request was made when he planted mangroves in Tritih Kulon Village, North Cilacap District, Cilacap Regency, Central Java on Thursday, September 23.

"We will continue to carry out mangrove rehabilitation both by the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency and also by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Our target in 2021 is approximately 34 thousand hectares throughout the country," Jokowi said as shown on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube broadcast.

According to him, mangrove rehabilitation must be carried out to restore the mangrove forest area as well as anticipate climate change that is happening.

In addition, mangrove planting is also carried out to reduce wave energy so as to protect the coast from abrasion, inhibit water intrusion, and improve the environment and habitat in coastal areas.

"We hope (it, ed) will have an impact on increasing fish production and the production of other marine products, especially crabs," said the former governor of DKI Jakarta.

"So that later we can increase the income of the people on the coast," added Jokowi.

For information, President Jokowi carried out a working visit to Cilacap Regency, Central Java. He and his entourage took off with a special ATR 72-600 aircraft via Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base at around 08.30 a.m.

Jokowi will carry out a number of activities. In addition to planting mangroves, he will go to SMA Negeri 2 Cilacap to review the implementation of vaccinations for students as well as to conduct a teleconference.

Next, Jokowi will review door-to-door vaccination activities for the community at the Sentolo Kawat Fisherman's Village, South Cilacap District. Finally, he will head to Kemiren Beach to release the hatchlings before returning to Jakarta.