PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni has reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing forestry governance, particularly regarding the importance of transparent data to address the issue of delayed palm oil plantation developments in forest regions. Following his appointment in Jakarta, Raja Juli acknowledged that palm oil plantations in forested areas present complex challenges due to the lack of accurate and transparent information.
“I previously served as the Vice Chairman of the Palm Oil Task Force, so I understand the intricacies involved. The complications surrounding palm oil plantations in forest regions primarily stem from inadequate transparency in data,” he stated, as reported by Palmoilmagazine.com from Antara on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.
He specifically referenced a report from the Development and Financial Supervision Board, which oversees palm oil plantation governance in Indonesia. This report will serve as a foundation for the Ministry of Forestry to effectively manage forest resources.
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Raja Juli’s commitment aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to preserve Indonesia’s forest regions as vital components of the world’s ecosystem. However, he emphasized that the protection of forest areas must be balanced with efforts to improve the welfare of local communities living in proximity to these forests.
“One key to solve the leak of data and improve (palm oil plantation) governance is by having transparent data with the latest digital technology. The institution(s) should be audited and the public would get the access to be more effective to prevent the fraud,” he said.
As the start, Minister Raja Juli would meet the officials in the ministry to get the issues about forestry sectors. The main focus would be to formulate the programs to be implemented in the short, medium, and long term.
The digital approaches and transparency he promised should help the government to confirm the forest region conservation and encourage more sustainable and responsible governance in the future. (P2)
