Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR-RI), through Commission IV, has approved the 2026 budget plan of the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut), allocating an indicative ceiling of IDR 4.93 trillion (approx. USD 305 million) during a working meeting on July 10, 2025.
This allocation is distributed across nine echelon I work units within the Ministry:
- Secretariat General (IDR 534 billion)
- Inspectorate General (IDR 48 billion)
- Directorate General of Forestry Planning (IDR 378 billion)
- Directorate General of Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems (IDR 1.5 trillion)
- Directorate General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation (IDR 920 billion)
- Directorate General of Sustainable Forest Management (IDR 291 billion)
- Directorate General of Social Forestry (IDR 303 billion)
- Directorate General of Forestry Law Enforcement (IDR 581 billion)
- Agency for Human Resources Development (IDR 297 billion)
Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that the 2026 program theme, “Forests for Food, Energy, and Water,” will be translated into strategic targets:
(a) 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the forestry sector,
(b) Development of 600 rural communities through forestry programs, and
(c) Forestry sub-sector GDP increase to IDR 65.23 trillion (constant prices) or IDR 136.19 trillion (current prices).
Key policy directions outlined by Minister Antoni include:
- Forest protection as global lungs and water regulators
- Equitable forest access
- Forest utilization for food and energy security
- Implementation of the one map policy
- Forest service digitalization as governance modernization
In addition, community-based programs totaling IDR 372 billion will be spread across various units, including:
- SVLK certification for MSMEs
- Community-based forest rehabilitation and seedling production
- Support for nature-based livelihoods, micro-hydro energy in conservation areas, and biodiversity conservation
- Development of Social Forestry Enterprises (KUPS) to Gold/Platinum classification
- Forest damage and wildfire prevention through community participation
The Commission also approved a proposed additional budget of IDR 9.94 trillion, which will be further deliberated by the House Budget Committee (Banggar).
This increase would bring the total 2026 indicative budget to IDR 14.88 trillion if fully approved.
Minister Antoni stated the additional budget would prioritize forest rehabilitation, agroforestry, wildfire prevention, post-eviction land management, eco-tourism infrastructure, digital services, and civil servant payroll.
“This will also increase the community-based expenditure to IDR 4.35 trillion, reinforcing our people-centered forest governance,” he concluded. (*)
