President Jokowi Opens Conference on Land Reform and Forest Management

President Jokowi opens the 2017 Conference on Land Reform and Forest Management at the State Palace, Wednesday (25/10). (Photo by: Public Relations Division/Jay)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday (25/10) at the State Palace opened the 2017 Conference on Land Reform and Forest Management.

The conference is set to discuss issues on structural imbalance, indigenous forest land, distribution of land use in conservation forests, protection of indigenous people, and people-based economic development, among others. President Jokowi hopes that the conference would help to boost synergy among civil society, ministries, and other state institutions.

“I hope the conference would deliver concrete results and a road map that is applicable for central and regional governments, civil society, and entrepreneurs to accelerate land reforms and the social forestry program,” the President said.

President Jokowi also said that in the beginning of this year, the Government decided that one of the priorities in 2017 is economic equity and one of the ways to reach is through agrarian and social forest reforms.

“The essence of land reform and social forestry is how the people can have access to the forests, as part of Indonesia’s natural resources. This is how the people could access them and create a fair economy and improve people’s prosperity,” President Jokowi said.

President Jokowi further said that to encourage economic equality, the Government would distribute five million land certificates in 2017, seven million certificates in 2018, and nine million in 2019. According to the President, land certificates will prevent any legal land ownership disputes.

Also attending the opening ceremony were Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Minister of the Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, West Kalimantan Governor Cornelis, as well as regents and mayors. (FID/JAY/EN)