Supporting Social Forestry Programme, Kadin Indonesia Inaugurates Embung (Reservoir) in Boyolali

Kadin Indonesia Initiates Collaboration between Farmers and Corporations to Optimise Social Forestry Permits for People's Welfare

Boyolali, 31 August 2023 - In order to support the social forestry programme, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) today inaugurated a reservoir in Gondanglegi Village, Klego District, Boyolali Regency, Central Java. The inauguration was attended by Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres) member Sidarto Danusubroto, Kadin Indonesia Chairman Arsjad Rasjid, a number of Kadin Indonesia officials, and 10,000 farmers who are members of the Social Forestry Community Movement (Gema PS).

Arsjad Rasjid, Chairman of Kadin Indonesia, said that the reservoir in Boyolali was the result of collaboration between Kadin Indonesia as the initiator, in collaboration with Indika Nature, a national company that provides nature-based solutions, and the Wono Makmur Farmer Group, which is part of the Social Forestry Community Movement (Gema PS).

"The construction of this reservoir is a pilot project of community and corporate collaboration that is expected to inspire collaborations between the private sector and communities in other places, so that the 5.3 million hectares of social forestry licences that have been granted by the government can really bring prosperity to the people," said Arsjad.

Embung Boyolali began construction in March 2023. The embung with a capacity of 10,517 m3 is located in a high enough location so that it can drain water by utilising the earth's gravity. The construction of the embung and the Social Forestry Centre (SPS) with a regenerative forest business approach is a response to the condition of forestry and agricultural land in a number of areas in Java which have been lacking water sources.

"The existence of this reservoir is an optimisation of land use based on studies to meet the needs of farmers, in providing irrigation water for rice fields and social forestry. Thus, the hope is that this embung can increase agricultural and forestry production around the embung location," Arsjad explained.

Indika Nature's CEO, Leonardus H Sidharta, hopes that this collaboration can bring economic change around the Boyolali area. "This is in line with Indika Nature's goal to preserve forests and manage their products to improve the community's economy, and create a sustainable future through nature-based solutions," he said.

Chairman of Gema PS, Rozikin, appreciated the collaboration with Kadin Indonesia, "This collaboration completes the puzzle of our struggle. So far, we have successfully struggled to obtain permits from the state, but have not been able to optimally utilise them for the welfare of farmers. But with the inclusion of Kadin Indonesia, we are optimistic that the President's programme will truly prosper farmers."

The construction of the reservoir on the land licensed under the Social Forestry Decree of the Wono Makmur Forest Farmer Group (KTH), is a follow-up to the Gema PS report to President Joko Widodo in January 2023. On that occasion, Gema PS expressed a desire to cooperate with Kadin Indonesia. "Alhamdulillah, today this cooperation is realised. Thank you to Mr Arsjad Rasjid and the entire management of Kadin Indonesia. Hopefully this initiative can be replicated throughout Indonesia and continued by whoever the leader of Indonesia will be," Rozikin concluded.