During his visit to the nursery on Monday, the minister remarked that President Prabowo Subianto had called on him to exert all-out efforts to protect Indonesia's forests at the retreat of the Red and White Cabinet that concluded yesterday in Magelang, Central Java.
"The word 'protect' here refers to the way we get the most out of the functions of forests for the welfare of the people," he remarked while highlighting the need to conduct an environmental analysis.
Antoni explained that by giving priority to supporting the production of non-timber forest products, a nursery could help facilitate the implementation of greening processes in tandem with allowing people to reap greater benefits from the plants cultivated.
He noted that in addition to supplying seeds of plants expected to produce non-timber goods, the Forestry Ministry is providing seeds of trees instrumental in land rehabilitation projects in an effort to mitigate disasters, manage critical lands, and avert landslides as well as erosion.
"However, I am pushing for prioritizing (the cultivation of) plants that produce non-timber forest products in areas sitting in the vicinity of residential zones or villages," he reiterated.
The minister also underlined that President Prabowo had ordered his aides in the cabinet to genuinely work for the nation by taking concrete actions.
In connection with this, Minister Antoni and his deputy minister Sulaiman Umar as well as officials at his office held a meeting at the nursery.
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Translator: Prisca T, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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