West Java social forestry and development advocacy

Officials in West Java are advocating for enhanced support for social forestry programs to alleviate poverty and improve farmer welfare. Bambang Mujiarto, Chairman of Commission II of the West Java Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), has called for the optimization of these programs, suggesting that the forestry sector should serve as a tool to “alleviate poverty and increase productivity” rather than focusing exclusively on environmental conservation. He emphasized the need for direct stimuli, education, and human resource training for forest farmers.

This push for better management has expanded to include calls for improved infrastructure and synchronized budget planning. Deputy Speaker Ono Surono noted that limited infrastructure in social forestry zones negatively impacts agricultural productivity and local livelihoods. Additionally, West Java Provincial Secretary Herman Suryatman has instructed regional planning agencies to ensure that development policies and budgets are better aligned with community needs to meet long-term macro indicators.