Enviro News Asia, Jakarta –To enhance coordination and collaboration between the central and regional governments in forest management, the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia held the 2025 National Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) on May 2–3, 2025, in Jakarta.
In his opening remarks, Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni emphasized the need to reformulate the relationship between central and regional governments in order to build a healthier and more productive partnership. He pointed out that 27 years after the reform era, major challenges remain unresolved, especially in forestry governance.
“Extreme centralization in the past did not bring prosperity to the regions. While post-reform decentralization has been a blessing, it has also brought new challenges, such as decentralized corruption and forest and environmental degradation,” stated Raja Antoni in a press release issued on Friday (May 2, 2025).
On this occasion, the Minister also called for collaborative and coordinated leadership. “I invite all provincial and district/municipal forestry agency heads to open up space for consultative communication. The broad issues of forestry cannot be resolved by the central government alone without strong cooperation with the regions,” he emphasized.
The Minister further underlined the importance of finding a “middle ground” in the development dynamic, avoiding extreme positions between economic interests and environmental conservation.
“Forests must remain sustainable, development must not come to a halt, and public welfare must remain the ultimate goal. This is no easy task, but it must be our guiding principle,” he explained.
As part of efforts to improve governance, the Minister expressed hope that this forum would be able to formulate concrete solutions to various on-the-ground challenges, including pushing for more proportional forestry regulations between the central and regional governments.
In his report, Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry Mahfudz stated that Rakornas 2025 was attended by more than 320 participants in person in Jakarta and over 500 participants virtually from across Indonesia. Attendees included senior officials of the Ministry of Forestry, heads of provincial forestry agencies, heads of the Ministry’s Technical Implementation Units (UPT), heads of Forest Management Units (KPH), heads of forestry associations, and academics.
The aim of Rakornas is to gather and refine the strategic forestry development plan for 2025–2029 so that it aligns with national policy and local conditions. Additionally, the forum serves as a consultative platform to ensure synergy between national and regional programs, particularly concerning the ongoing revisions of regional budgets.
Over the course of two days, Rakornas discussed four main agendas:
The National Forestry Plan (RKTN) and strategies to achieve targets through 2030.
The draft 2025 Strategic Forestry Development Plan as a five-year development guide.
A sharing session on success stories in on-site forestry management, presented by business actors and model KPH units.
A regional forestry development discussion forum, with strategies for achieving 2025–2029 development targets aligned with national commitments.
To enrich the content, Rakornas also featured an exhibition showcasing the work of forestry associations and technical implementation units (UPT), intended to inspire participants through innovations and best practices from the field.
“We appreciate all participants, both in person and virtual. The input provided will be a valuable contribution to future forestry development,” said Mahfudz in his remarks.
The Ministry of Forestry reaffirmed that synergy among stakeholders and intensive communication—from planning to implementation—are key to accelerating sustainable forestry development in Indonesia. Through this forum, the Ministry also hopes to build stronger synergy in preserving forests as a legacy for future generations.
