Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Ministry of Forestry and the Ministry of Manpower are collaborating to create one million jobs through social forestry and agroforestry programs. The collaboration was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Jakarta on Friday (April 11, 2025).
Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that inter-ministerial cooperation is a concrete manifestation of the President’s directive to develop joint solutions.
“Mr. Prabowo always stresses that ministries must work together—not just in problems, but also in solutions,” said Raja Juli. He added, “Currently, the Ministry of Forestry has provided management access to around 8 million hectares, and there are another 7 million hectares with potential.”
Furthermore, Raja Juli outlined plans to identify regions suitable for agroforestry, particularly areas with high poverty rates. “We will also collaborate with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), and the private sector to support funding and training. We have 15,000 Social Forestry Business Groups (KUPS) that we plan to transform into cooperatives,” he explained.
Minister Raja Juli also stressed the importance of developing a forestry sector that is not only productive but also inclusive and environmentally friendly. He noted that this partnership is a strategic step in preparing highly capable human resources in forestry to meet the challenges of green development.
Meanwhile, Minister of Manpower Yassierli stated that this collaboration is a significant step in opening up new employment opportunities while sustainably developing forest potential.
“This collaboration is crucial, especially for expanding job opportunities through the management of social forests, particularly agroforestry,” said Yassierli.
She also revealed that the Ministry of Manpower will fully support the program by providing training and practical fieldwork, aiming to turn it into a viable business ecosystem for farmers.
Yassierli mentioned that there is a potential to utilize up to 2 million hectares of land, which could involve as many as 1 million farmers. “This is a significant number for the creation of new jobs,” she added.
Through this MoU, both ministries have agreed to focus on job training, competency certification, the development of community-based agroforestry, and the empowerment of social forestry business groups.
This cross-sector collaboration is expected to help build a green economic ecosystem that strengthens national competitiveness while preserving Indonesia’s forests. (*)
