929 Heads Of Families In West Kalimantan Receive Decree On Social Forests From The President

The virtual handover of the Social Forest Decree from the President of the Republic of Indonesia in Pontianak, Thursday. (Rendra Oxtora)

PONTIANAK - A total of three districts of Sintang, Sanggau, and Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan Province, received a Social Forest Decree from the President of the Republic of Indonesia, with a land area of 15,531 hectares.

"Alhamdulillah, this year three regions in West Kalimantan received 17 decrees for 929 families with an area of 15,531 hectares spread over three districts in West Kalimantan", said West Kalimantan Governor, Sutarmijdi, after attending the virtual handover of the Social Forest Decree from the President of the Republic of Indonesia, reported by Antara, in Pontianak on Thursday, February 3.

Sutarmijdi explained, by the provisions that have been set, the people who get the decree on social forests must meet the requirements that have been set.

"The condition is that 50 percent of this land must be planted with woody plants and 50 percent may be planted with fruits and livestock", he said.

According to him, so that everything can be productive, he suggests that people plant woody plants that can be planted, such as jengkol, petai, and other productive woody plants. As for fruit crops, they can be used with production plants and have good market potential as well.

For this reason, the Governor asked several related agencies such as the Plantation Service, the Food Security Service, the Environment and Forestry Service, the Agriculture and Livestock Service, and several other parties to work together to assist the community who received this land certificate.

"The important thing is my message that the community can take advantage of this and don't transfer it because this can be revoked by the government. For that, we ask the assistants who are deployed in the field so that they can assist the community properly, don't play with the tasks given", he said.

Sutarmijdi added, the West Kalimantan Provincial Government will also make this into a package, where because the land already exists, the local government will help provide superior seeds and fertilizers to support the plants planted on the land.

In the same place, the Secretary of the Directorate General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Sri Handayaningsih, said this social forest decree was given to the community, so that the community could gain access to use land that was previously less productive, to become more productive.

"The goal is to restore the area, increase land cover, mitigate disasters and improve people's welfare. After getting this decree, the community will not be left free, but directed to be responsible for using the land given", said Sri.

According to her, the community will be given the right to manage the land for 35 years. If within that time it is implemented properly, the ownership of this land will be handed over to the community.

"In West Kalimantan there are three regencies Sintang, Kapuas Hulu and Sanggau. And the widest is in Sintang, about 6 thousand hectares more. We hope that this can be used well by the community so that their welfare can increase", she said.