JAKARTA – The ministry of environment and forestry (KLHK) reported that forest and land fires (Karhutla) decreased this year. But it has asked all stakeholders, including the oil palm growers, to keep watching out the possibility of the Karhutla during this current dry season which is expected to reach its peak in September 2020.
The ministry said that all stakeholders the government, business players, forestry-based industries, palm oil industry players, universities and the general public should strengthen their synergy in preventing and fighting the forest and land fires in their respective areas.
Based on data from KLHK, the forest and land fires during the period of 1 January – 31 July 2020 decreased by 52.41% to only around 71,145 hectares (Ha), as compared to 135,747 Ha during the same period last year. The data was revealed during a webinar on “preparations of palm oil industry to deal with Karhutla amid the Covid-19 pandemic”, which was organized by the forum of agriculture journalists (Forwatan) later last month.
The webinar was addressed by four speakers, namely Ardi Praptono as plantations protection director at the agriculture ministry (Kementan), Anis Susanti Aliati as head of Karhutla prevention sub-directorate at KLHK, Bambang Dwilaksono as head of sustainability division at the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki), and dr. Pandu Riono as epidemiologist at the University of Indonesia (UI).
Ardi Praptono said that all sides have been collaborating in preventing the Karhutla this year. Kementan has been actively conducting socializations on prevailing regulations and how to open land areas without resorting to burning in six provinces–Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and East Kalimantan, which are all traditionally prone to Karhutla.
Another step taken to prevent the Karhutla was the establishment of plantations and farmers brigade of fires care (KTPA) with a membership of 3,181 people.
To prevent the Karhutla in agriculture and plantations areas this year, Kementan had prepared a total fund of Rp4.55 billion, as compared to the previous year allocation of Rp12.1 billion.
“The decrease of financing is due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. The fund has been used to finance the demonstration plots to showcase opening land areas for plantations without burning in Central Kalimantan, the KTPA operation, and for management and supervision of forest and land fires fighting and preventing,” said Ardi.
Ardi said that the plantation companies should also prepare themselves in fighting and preventing the forest and land fires based on the law no.39/2014 on plantations. “Kementan has set implementing regulations on the forest and land fires. We will take firm actions against those violating the regulations,” he said. (*)
Source: KONTAN.CO.ID | Featured image via investor.id
