BENGKULU – Nationally, the achievements to date are: social forestry covering an area of 6.4 million ha with a total of 1,287,000 heads of families managing the area. The government has reserved management access rights through PIAPS for 15.4 million ha of the target of 12.7 million ha.
Based on these targets, the Government then establishes formal legal regulations through Presidential Regulation 28 of 2023 concerning Integrated Planning for the Acceleration of Social Forestry Management. In principle, this presidential regulation regulates the acceleration of the distribution of legal access, assistance and business development. This Presidential Regulation has a target of achieving the acceleration of social forestry of 7,380,000 ha and the acceleration of the development of social forestry businesses through the formation of Social Forestry Groups (KPS) which have 17,000 business units and social forestry management plans by 2030.
In supporting the acceleration of social forestry management regent/mayor can form a Social Forestry Acceleration Working Group at the district/city level and coordinate with the Social Forestry Acceleration Working Group (Working GroupPPS) at the provincial level. This Presidential Regulation also regulates Integrated Area Development (IAD) by building multi-stakeholder collaboration in order to strengthen good cooperation between the central government, regional governments, business actors, academics and the community.
What is the Direction of the Policy for Accelerating Social Forestry Management in Bengkulu Province?
Bengkulu Province has a target to encourage legal access to community management rights in the management and utilization of land in forest areas covering 114 thousand ha. Based on processed data WALHI Bengkulu (2024) to date, the target achievement for social forestry in Bengkulu is 85,512.16 Ha with 18,360 heads of families managing it and 86 Decrees with various social forestry schemes.
In 2022, the Bengkulu Provincial Government issued formal legal policy regulations, namely Governor's RegulationNumber 20 of 2022 concerning Facilitation of Social Forestry Implementation. Since the issuance of the formal legal regulation, it should be a spirit for regions both at the provincial, district/city and village levels to work together and cooperate in achieving the target of legal access to community management through social forestry. Article 3 of the scope of this Governor's Regulation regulates Facilitation, Institutions, Supervision and Evaluation, and Financing.
This gubernatorial regulation regulates the role of each related agency/institution at the provincial level to support the social forestry agenda in the form of facilitation, legal access, strengthening institutional capacity, product certification, capital, marketing access, etc. in accordance with the agenda of strengthening institutional governance, business governance and regional governance.
The role and authority of the district/city government can facilitate social forestry managers and/or community business groups in their area. While the role and authority of the village government must facilitate and allocate a budget for social forestry managers and/or community business groups in the form of coaching, training and mentoring.
Supervision and evaluation are carried out by the government, local government, PPS working groups, and accompanying facilitators in the form of planning, organizing and implementing aspects. Funding to support the social forestry agenda can come from the APBD, and other legitimate and non-binding sources of funds in accordance with regulations and laws.
Policy Recommendations
From the results of the studies that have been conducted, more intensive efforts are needed to support the agenda of accelerating social forestry by building awareness in each multi-stakeholder at the relevant agency/service level, district/city government and village government.
In supporting the agenda of accelerating social forestry in Bengkulu Province, WALHI Bengkulu offers four recommendations to the government and relevant stakeholders at the provincial, district/city and village government levels as follows:
- For each related agency to be able to integrate into the government work plan (RKP) and strategic plan in supporting the social forestry acceleration agenda.
- For district/city governments to be able to support and facilitate social forestry managers and/or community business groups in their areas. In substance, this gubernatorial regulation should be integrated intoRPJMDat the district/city government level.
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