Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Kementerian Kehutanan, through its Directorate General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation (PDASRH), is strengthening mangrove rehabilitation efforts in Sumatra’s coastal areas, particularly in Riau and Sumatera Utara, under the Mangroves for Coastal Resilience (M4CR) Program. Supported by funding from the World Bank, the initiative aims to restore coastal ecosystems while enhancing shoreline resilience and improving the livelihoods of communities dependent on coastal resources.
The M4CR Program targets the rehabilitation of approximately 41,000 hectares of mangroves by 2027 across four priority provinces: Riau, North Sumatra, East Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan. The program adopts a comprehensive approach that goes beyond mangrove planting by strengthening coastal ecosystem governance, empowering communities, and supporting sustainable coastal-based economic activities.
Secretary of the Directorate General of PDASRH and Executive Director of the M4CR Program, Muhammad Zainal Arifin, emphasized that mangrove rehabilitation must be implemented through an integrated approach to generate both ecological and socio-economic benefits for coastal communities.
“Coastal ecosystem recovery must not stop at planting mangroves alone. Rehabilitation should be reinforced through forest and land rehabilitation business planning, the establishment of mangrove-care villages, and village regulations to ensure sustainable management by local communities,” he said.
He added that mangroves serve as natural coastal barriers capable of reducing abrasion and seawater intrusion while maintaining the economic stability of communities reliant on fisheries and coastal agriculture.
Rehabilitation Progress in Riau
In Riau Province, mangrove rehabilitation has been implemented in five regencies—Bengkalis, Pelalawan, Rokan Hilir, Indragiri Hilir, and Kepulauan Meranti. As of 2025, rehabilitation achievements reached approximately 3,124 hectares, with more than 9.6 million mangrove seedlings planted and 131 community groups involved across 62 villages.
Governance strengthening efforts include the establishment of 126 Independent Mangrove Care Villages and the issuance of 44 village regulations to support local mangrove protection.
Rehabilitation is particularly crucial in Kuala Selat Village, Indragiri Hilir Regency, which previously suffered environmental degradation due to coastal abrasion and seawater intrusion that destroyed around 1,900 hectares of community-owned coconut plantations.
Village Head Nurjaya explained that prior to the damage, community income from coconut plantations ranged between IDR 15 million and IDR 50 million every 2.5 to 3 months, depending on land ownership. The loss of plantations significantly altered the village’s socio-economic conditions, forcing some families to lose their livelihoods and affecting access to education for children.
Through the M4CR Program, mangrove rehabilitation covering 269 hectares has been carried out in Kuala Selat Village under a labor-intensive scheme involving approximately 823 residents, benefiting 173 individuals directly, nearly 39 percent of whom are women. The initiative has restored coastal ecosystems while creating new employment opportunities for affected communities.
Director of Mangrove Rehabilitation Nikolas Nugroho Surjobasuindro stated that rehabilitation success should not be measured solely by planting area but also by sustained community participation.
“Sustainable management and community involvement are key to ensuring mangroves continue to grow and provide long-term economic benefits,” he said.
Progress in North Sumatra
In North Sumatra Province, the M4CR Program planted approximately 975,700 mangrove seedlings throughout 2025 across Langkat, Asahan, and Labuhanbatu Utara Regencies, covering 327 hectares and involving 20 coastal community groups.
M4CR PPIU Manager for North Sumatra, Aditya Wahyu Putra, highlighted that community participation remains a decisive factor in successful rehabilitation.
“Identifying village potential ensures activities are well targeted and deliver direct benefits to local communities,” he said.
Through integrated mangrove rehabilitation combined with community empowerment, the M4CR Program is expected to strengthen coastal resilience while improving economic welfare across Sumatra’s coastal regions. (*)
