Government of Congo Learns About Indonesia’s Peat Management

Source : Menlkh.go.id

Pers Release Number: SP. 602/HUMAS/PP/HMS.3/10/2018

News Person in Charge:

Head of Public Relation of Ministry of Environment and Forestry

Djati Witjaksono Hadi – 081799733330

 

Pontianak, Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF), Sunday, Oktober 28, 2018. The Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo Government had working visit to a number of places in Pontianak, West Kalimantan Province for two days (27-28/10). The visit was a follow up the result of The 3rd Meeting of the Partners of Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI-s) which was held by the United Nations on Environment Programme (UNEP) in Brazzaville in March 2018.

 

The Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya delivered speech about peat ecosystems management in Indonesia and it was highly appreciated by the participant who come from 50 countries. The meeting was produced Brazzaville declaration in which Government of Congo and Indonesia agreed on deep collaboration and cooperation on sustainable peat management.

 

Congo’s Peat Basin is the second largest peat ecosystems in the world and has carbon stock potential that equal with the three years of global greenhouses gas emission. The Republic of Congo and The Democratic Republic of Congo presence in Indonesia was to learns peat management from Indonesia. The head of delegation was Minister of Environment and Tourism Republic of Congo, Ms. Arlette Soudan-Nonaults assisted by the Director General of Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development Republic of Congo, Mr. Jose IIanga Lofonga.

 

During the working visit to the Pontianak Manggala Agni Daops House, Saturday (27/10), Director of Land and Forest Fire Control, MoEF, Raffles B. Panjaitan share the experiences regarding forest and land fire control. Minister Arlette was impressed with the government of Indonesia’s achievement on land and forest control through technology and innovation implementation and the Fire Care Community (Masyarakat Peduli Api) involve.

 

“They are the true heroes on forest and land fire prevention and also on ensuring the sustainability environment,” said Arlette to the Fire Care Community representative who was present at Manggala Agni House at that time. To show the commitment Republic of Congo’s Government to the importance of local community role on peat management Ministry Arlette even bring people form her country local community together with the Congo delegation come to Indonesia.

 

In Daops Manggala Agni Pontianak, Minister Arlette and her group studied the processing of wood vinegar as an alternative solution for Land Clearing without Burning (PLTB) and wood vinegar application demonstration plots. The Congo delegation also had the opportunity to witness the land and forest fire blackout simulation activities to show how technical and collaborative Manggala Agni was in carrying out blackouts. After that, the Congo delegation also had the opportunity to plant fruit in the courtyard of the Daops Manggala Agni Pontianak office. The planting of the fruit is an example plot of effective land use that can be carried out by the community.

 

In Sunday (28/10), Congo delegation continued the visit to the Industrial Plantation Forest Product Utilization Permit (IUPHHK-HTI) PT. Mayangkara Tanaman Industri in Sanggau, Kubu Raya District, to look at hydrological management in Industrial Plantation Forests covering infrastructure, forest fire prevention facilities, and SESAME tools as fire danger rating systems based on real time measurement data of peat water table in concession area.

 

Minister Arlette realizes the need for synergy between production and conservation which applied in one industrial plantation management system. By the balance between production and conservation, the potential of animals found in the concession area such as Owls, Honey Pigeons, Orang Utans, Emporok Birds, Hornbills, Gold-Spotted Snakes, Valve Turtles, Binturung and Pelalang can be preserved.

 

At the end of the visit, the group visited Aloe vera center location in Pontianak. This Aloe vera center is one of the UPTD of West Kalimantan Province which specifically cultivates aloe vera and produces it as a food and beverages. The visit to the Aloe Vera Center was Governor of West Kalimantan, Sutarmadji recommendation. Governor Sutarmadji said that Aloe vera has advantages as a plant that can breed well in the peatlands.

 

During their two days visit in Kalimantan Barat, the delegation of Republic of Congo and Republic Democratic of Congo accompanied by MoEF group lead by Head of Research and Development Agency and Environment and Forestry Innovation (BLI), Dr. Ir. Agus Junianto. Also present Head of Foreign Cooperation Bureau, Director for Forest and Land Fire Control and Director for Peat Destruction Control, MoEF. The group also consisted of representatives from UNEP, FAO and CIFOR.

 

At the meeting occasion with the entire group, the Head of the BLI Dr. Agus Justianto said that the visit of the government of the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo was an appreciation of the international community for Indonesia's success in managing peat ecosystems and innovations that were developed to reduce the impacts caused by the peat management ecosystems. "Indonesia is ready to share experiences and knowledge in sustainable peat management to the world," He said.