TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry has embarked upon the production and publication of the first State of Indonesia`s Forests (national SOFO) publication in collaboration with FAO of the United Nations. Today, May 15, the Environment Ministry with FAO high officials gathered to attend the advanced writing workshop to finalize the content of the national SOFO publication.

The publication will highlight the successful efforts of the Government of Indonesia through various policy instruments and forestry practices to promote good governance of sustainable forest management in Indonesia.

“State of Indonesia Forest (National SOFO) is the future of our forest. This publication perhaps will stay until 30 years later. This report is a huge step for Indonesian forestry, and we are able to achieve it with the FAO support. Perhaps this can be compared with FAO support to Indonesia’s agricultural development in the 70’s,” said Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, who also the Editor in Chief in the publication at the opening of the workshop.

SOFO will provide information to the global community, the state of Indonesia’s forests and forestry resources, and the efforts of the Indonesian Government to democratize the allocation of forestry resources.

This publication will also prevent and manage deforestation and degradation of forestry resources and to ensure environmental justice and equality of opportunity for all members of Indonesia’s communities, including communities of indigenous people.

“The world is seeking for a leader in the forestry, in the wildlife. The international society is expecting our leadership” said Siti.

There are six chapters in the National SOFO publication draft: (1) Introduction, (2) An overview of Indonesia’s forest area, (3) Overcoming drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, (4) Capacity building in forest management, (5) Towards a new paradigm of conservation area management, and (6) National economic contribution and the private sector, discussing the following topics of international interests: (1) Governance of forest area, 2) Climate change mitigation and adaptation, 3) Peat ecosystem management, 4) Community participation in the forest management, 5) Protection and conservation of biodiversity 6) Sustainable production forest.

“It has been an honor for FAO to support the Indonesia SOFO process since October 2017. FAO sees the Indonesia SOFO as being not only an important publication for this country but also for the rest of the world,” stated FAO Representative in Indonesia Stephen Rudgard.

The first draft is under a technical review, an updated draft will come up later this month. The report is expected to be launched at end of June 2018, in a soft launching ceremony in Indonesia. The Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya will present the "State of Indonesia Forest" at the 24th session of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO) in Rome, July, 2018.

TEMPO