A total of 8.3 million hectares of forest area has been designated for social forestry to support Indonesia’s food self-sufficiency program. Through a decree issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, portions of forest areas can be developed into agroforestry zones, enabling communities to cultivate crops such as corn and rice within the forest.
Professor San Afri Awang from the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Forestry UGM), emphasized that agroforestry is not a new concept, as it has been implemented in Java since 1972 under the name Wanatani.
“This model has long supported communities in maintaining their food resilience,” he said on Friday (Oct. 17).
However, according to Professor Awang, forests designated for agroforestry should be limited to those that are degraded or unproductive.
“We need to rehabilitate unproductive forests and make them productive again through planting. Communities are allowed to cultivate these lands by planting trees and fruit-bearing plants in combination. Even grasses can be planted. By widening the spacing between trees, there will be room for food crops, forage, and livestock enclosures,” he explained.
He further outlined two essential conditions for agroforestry: first, the presence of a population capable of managing and maintaining the land, and second, the availability of land that the community can utilize.
“This makes Java the most effective area for implementing agroforestry schemes. Ecologically, agroforestry may not be optimal for food production, but it plays a vital role in addressing poverty. There can be no agroforestry without the people,” he said.
For Professor Awang, agroforestry should serve as a means to alleviate poverty, which requires the government to be specific about the forest locations and the roles of the people involved.
“There must first be the farmers and the social forestry permits in place,” he stated.
When discussing forests and food production, Professor Awang noted that the government must ensure forest quality through healthy vegetation and strong long-term prospects in both economic and environmental terms.
He also reminded that licensing for farmers participating in agroforestry is critical, as they will bear responsibility for cultivation.
“They must understand what they intend to plant,” he added.
Professor Awang stressed that the social forestry program must be implemented in accordance with established regulations.
He reminded that agroforestry should be used to rehabilitate degraded production forests by planting food crops, fruit trees, forest plants, and forage.
“If it involves clearing natural forests, it should stop immediately,” he cautioned.
Author: Alena Damaris
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Salma
Illustration: Ministry of Environment and Forestry