He stated that the expansion of community access to social forestry management is in accordance with President Prabowo Subianto's direction to promote social forestry as a strategic policy that not only opens access to legal forest management, but also improves community welfare, reduces unemployment, and alleviates poverty.
"This proves that communities surrounding forests are no longer viewed as objects, but rather as the primary subjects in forest management. Communities are not only forest guardians, but also green economy actors capable of sustainably utilizing forest potential," Shiddiq said at the 2025 National Social Forestry (Pesona) Festival at the Forestry Ministry in Jakarta on Thursday.
He added that social forestry also serves as a path to national independence, promoting self-sufficiency in food, energy, and water through national strategic projects, such as food and energy security via community-based forestry.
All products from Social Forestry Business Groups (KUPS)—ranging from food, energy, and ecotourism to high-value non-timber forest products—are optimized for sales. Some products have even been exported and recognized internationally.
Through KUPS, communities have experienced increased welfare from the sale of forest products.
To date, 15,758 KUPS have been established across Indonesia, producing 2,987 commodities—about 18.95 percent of total commodities—including food, corn, and dryland rice.
Shiddiq also emphasized the importance of involving various stakeholders to accelerate social forestry management through Integrated Area Development (IAD). This initiative is expected to enhance the performance of social forestry in regional units and increase the economic scale of businesses at local, regional, and national levels.
"It will certainly have a real impact on increasing community income, absorbing labor, improving environmental quality, and ensuring forest sustainability. Currently, IAD has been initiated in 58 districts and cities, with 24 to 28 IADs in the implementation stage, six in planning document preparation, and 24 in the socialization stage," he said.
The 2025 Pesona Festival is being held from August 20 to 22, 2025, at the Manggala Wanabakti Building Complex, Ministry of Forestry, Jakarta. This annual event is part of the commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia's Independence, with the theme "Caring for Forests, Inheriting Hope."
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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti Prameswari, Martha Herlinawati S
Editor: M Razi Rahman
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
