Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry, through the Secretariat General in collaboration with the Inspectorate General, opened the 2026 Planning and Supervision Coordination Meeting (Rakorenwas 2026) as an initial step to strengthen accountable, transparent, and integrity-based forestry governance.
Carrying the theme “Strengthening Central–Regional Forestry Governance Towards Indonesia Emas 2045,” the meeting was officially opened by Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni in Jakarta on Tuesday (10/2).
In his opening remarks, the Minister emphasized that maintaining a balance between development and ecological preservation will remain a core principle of future forestry planning. Strengthened governance, he said, is a fundamental pillar for ensuring sustainable forest management that delivers tangible benefits to communities.
One of the key reform priorities outlined by the Minister is the completion of an integrated forestry dashboard, designed as a single national platform for forestry data and mapping.
“We must finalize one dashboard or one shared platform. Until now, forestry data and maps have not been fully integrated. It is impossible to implement a unified national policy if internal data remain fragmented. This dashboard will significantly improve forest governance going forward,” Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated.
He explained that the dashboard has been under development for the past six to eight months and is expected to be operational in the near term. The system will also be consulted with the Chair of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to ensure legitimacy, strengthen licensing governance, and prevent sectoral ego among institutional units.
Beyond data integration, the Minister highlighted the need to reform managerial and coordination structures, particularly at the regional level. He noted that the absence of mid-level coordination functions has resulted in overly long coordination chains.
“We need Regional Coordination Centers (Puskorwil) so responsibilities are clearly defined, coordination functions are delegated effectively, and program evaluations can be conducted more efficiently,” he stressed.
The Minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening forest security. President Prabowo Subianto has approved the addition of Forestry Police (Polhut) personnel and encouraged continued efforts to reach an ideal force size.
“This reinforcement is essential to ensure forest protection. Its implications extend beyond forestry to food security, energy resilience, transmigration, the state budget, and disaster mitigation. In the long term, the number of Polhut personnel will be optimized to approximately 66,000 officers,” he said.
The future governance framework will also incorporate advanced technology, including the use of aircraft and drones for data collection, area patrols, and surveillance of illegal activities such as illegal logging and encroachment. Best practices from several regions, including East Kalimantan, will serve as reference models.
In addition, the Ministry committed to strengthening human resource management through the development of a transparent and objective talent pool and performance assessment system, based on measurable achievements, peer evaluations, and verifiable track records to support fair and accountable promotions.
Concluding his remarks, Minister Raja Juli Antoni stressed that Rakorenwas should not be viewed as a routine administrative agenda, but as a strategic forum to renew collective commitment to forest protection and balanced development.
“This meeting must go beyond legality and administration. What matters most is reinforcing our shared commitment to protecting forests and maintaining the balance between ecology, development, and public welfare,” he concluded. (*)
