Enviro News Asia, Grobogan — The Indonesian government is taking serious steps in implementing the Social Forestry Program to achieve food security and self-sufficiency while rehabilitating degraded land.
As a testament to this commitment, the Indonesian National Police, together with the Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture, Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), and other relevant stakeholders, held a Simultaneous Corn Planting Event for Q3 in a Social Forestry area in Grobogan Regency, Central Java, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
The event was attended by Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, and Chair of Commission IV of the DPR RI, Titiek Soeharto.
In his remarks, Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that the social forestry program has become a bridge between environmental conservation and people-centered economic development.
“Out of the 8.3 million hectares of social forestry permits that have been issued, more than 500,000 hectares hold potential for corn agroforestry,” said the Minister of Forestry in his official statement
He further explained that these social forestry lands represent the forestry sector’s contribution to national food self-sufficiency, as instructed by President Prabowo Subianto.
He also underlined that the effort to achieve food self-sufficiency through social forestry is directly linked to improving the welfare of forest farmers.
Therefore, the Ministry of Forestry is open to collaborating with all parties to preserve forests while enabling the forestry sector to contribute to food self-sufficiency and the well-being of local communities.
National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who hosted the event, stated that the National Police remains committed to supporting the national agricultural ecosystem, including through the use of social forestry land and the development of supporting infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman welcomed the cross-sector collaboration for strengthening national food resilience. He pointed out that social forestry is a tangible but underutilized opportunity.
Chair of Commission IV of the DPR RI, Titiek Soeharto, expressed her appreciation for the synergy among sectors in strengthening the social forestry program for food security.
She stressed that the DPR will continue to push for policy and budgetary support to ensure that farmer groups managing social forestry receive guidance, tools, and better market access.
The achievements of the Social Forestry Program have seen significant growth, currently reaching 8,323,669 hectares with a total of 11,065 social forestry decrees issued, benefiting 1,420,189 individuals.
The program has also generated an estimated national economic value of IDR 364.19 billion.
The Economic Transaction Value (ETV) between Forest Farmer Groups and Social Forestry Business Groups (KUPS) reached IDR 1.57 trillion by the second quarter of 2025—an increase of 32% compared to the same period in 2024.
Central Java Province has received 147 social forestry decrees covering 102,095 hectares, benefiting 26,971 households.
In Grobogan Regency specifically, there are 22 decrees covering 5,682 hectares, consisting of 16 Community Forest (HKm) and 6 Village Forest (HD) decrees.
A total of 40 KUPS have been established in Grobogan, all classified as Silver-level groups. Their products include eucalyptus leaves, eucalyptus oil, and dried shelled corn.
Agroforestry potential in the Grobogan social forestry areas includes corn crops, livestock fodder grasses, and fruit-bearing plants.
The corn planting activity in Grobogan is part of a broader initiative to achieve food security while supporting forest and land rehabilitation.
The planting took place in a 2.6-hectare village forest area and a 6.6-hectare Perhutani area in Selojari Village, Klambu District.
The area received a Village Forest Management Decree in 2023, granting the Selo Lestari Village Institution the right to manage 74 hectares within a Specially Managed Production Forest zone.
To support planting activities in the village forest area, the Ministry of Forestry, through the Pemali Jratun Watershed Management Agency (BPDAS), has provided 2,000 seedlings, including 500 teak (tissue culture), 600 mango, 500 jackfruit, 150 avocado, and 250 sapodilla seedlings. (*)
