Indonesia prepares National Peat and Mangrove Management Agency

The Indonesian government is finalizing the framework for the National Peat and Mangrove Management Agency (BPGMN) following directives from President Prabowo Subianto. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni and Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto are coordinating to draft a Presidential Regulation to establish the body.

During recent workshops, experts, academics, and civil society organizations submitted an urgency manuscript to guide the agency's formation. The Ministry of Higher Education is preparing to involve universities and laboratories across six provinces to provide research-based data and human resources for science-driven ecosystem management.

To avoid the limitations of previous temporary agencies like the Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM), there are proposals to ensure BPGMN is not an ad-hoc institution. Instead, it may be designed with long-term targets, such as the 2045 Golden Indonesia vision, to ensure continuity across different leadership terms and maintain cross-ministerial functions.