"Peatland and mangrove restoration not only restores the environment but also improves the quality of life for surrounding communities," BRGM Chief Secretary Ayu Dewi Utari said in a statement issued on Thursday.
She noted that the agency was established under the authority of the president and will complete its working period in December 2024.
According to Utari, the agency was tasked with accelerating peatland restoration and improving community welfare in seven provinces: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, and Papua.
BRGM also worked to accelerate mangrove rehabilitation efforts in nine provinces: North Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, Bangka Belitung, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Papua, and West Papua.
The agency’s peatland restoration efforts were found to have reduced land fires by 29.59 percent.
Its mangrove rehabilitation program, the largest in the world, not only increased land cover but also boosted pond productivity and created jobs.
As of December 2024, 22,349 peatland restoration infrastructure units had been established.
BRGM, which is currently in the liquidation stage, also created jobs for 102,000 people in peatland restoration and provided guidance to 2,992 community groups involved in mangrove rehabilitation.
In addition, 41,352 people participated in mangrove rehabilitation efforts.
Utari emphasized that peatland and mangrove restoration is not an instant process, as it requires time and consistency. She added that efforts must be tailored to the social and economic conditions of remote and frontier areas.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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