TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Economy Affairs Darmin Nasution said the government is ready to redistribute 2.6 million hectares of forest land as part of the government’s land objects for agrarian reform (TORA).

"We are now ready to redistribute the land," said Darmin Jakarta Presidential Palace Complex, Monday, August 19.

He explained two sources of land that will be distributed comprised of the Settlement of Land Control in Forest Areas (PPTKH) covering 1.2 million hectares and unproductive forest land covering 1.41 million hectares.

The land that is no longer productive to be given to the community is expected to be managed as rice fields or plantations. Darmin said the government will also encourage graduates of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) in forestry and agriculture majors to establish a group of 5 people to manage 500 hectares of land.

The government, Darmin Nasution said, will also help the graduates to get funding, such as via venture capital. "The current obstacle is, it is difficult to gain credit from the bank to develop HTI (industrial forest permits)," he said, adding that the government determined to solve the issue.

After the forest land is redistributed, the local administration together with the Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning will manage the certification.

FRISKI RIANA