PALANGKA RAYA – ADMINISTRATION LEADERSHIP BUREAU. Provincial Secretary of Central Kalimantan Fahrizal Fitri, representing Central Kalimantan Governor Sugianto Sabran, attended the First Stage – Public Consultation Meeting on Preparation of Strategic Environmental Assessment (KLHS) for the Process of Determining Forest Areas for Food Security in Central Kalimantan Province which was held virtually through video conference, from Bajakah 2 Meeting Room, Second Floor of Central Kalimantan Governor’s Office, Thursday (11/2/2021).

The public consultation meeting on preparation of KLHS for Food Estate activities was opened by Secretary of Security Infrastructure Agency of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia Marrahmat.

The Indonesian Ministry of Defense, in an effort to promote food security, has a mission to achieve food security that is sovereign, independent and environmentally friendly. The Indonesian Ministry of Defense’s vision, in this case, is the development of cassava cultivation for the national food security program, by optimizing cultivable land.

Land in forest areas, such as production forest, converted production forest, or limited production forest, is regulated in Minister of Environment and Forestry’s (LHK) Regulation Number 24 of 2020.

According to Marrahmat, the Ministerial Regulation explains that one of the requirements in the process of permits and applications for land use in forest areas is to compile a KLHS document. “And, this will be the topic of our meeting today,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Central Kalimantan Governor Sugianto Sabran, in his remarks read by the Provincial Secretary Fahrizal Fitri, explained that the President of the Republic of Indonesia gave the mandate to the Indonesian Ministry of Defense to develop national food reserves in Indonesia because food security does have an important meaning in maintaining and guaranteeing national defense and security.

“Food reserves become a deterrent effect factor for defense because the strength of food reserves determines the country’s survival in facing the threat of war, disease outbreaks and prolonged natural disasters, as well as the threat of embargoes from other countries. Do not ever think that food is only rice because there are many other substitutes, for example corn and cassava,” explained Governor as conveyed by the Provincial Secretary.

“In preparing the KLHS document, this first public consultation activity is important to find out strategic issues in the realization of the food security program under the Indonesian Ministry of Defense. I also ask all participants present at this forum to provide input as an effort to support food security for the Indonesian nation,” said the Governor.

“I hope we can all play a positive role in the activities mandated by the President of the Republic of Indonesia through the Ministry of Defense’s food security program,” concluded Governor Sugianto Sabran.

Furthermore, the public consultation was filled with an explanation of the Food Estate development program by experts who drafted KLHS documents. On the next occasion, meeting participants were given the opportunity to submit input, questions and responses.

The meeting was also attended by the Director of Environmental Impact Prevention for Regional Policy of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and his staff, Head of the P3E Kalimantan Office, Head of BPKH Region IV Palangka Raya, Head of Government Institutions at Province / Regency / Municipality level, representatives from NGOs in Central Kalimantan as well as representatives from educational institutions of Palangka Raya University.

Appeared to accompany the Central Kalimantan Provincial Secretary in Bajakah 2 Meeting Room  today are Assistant II for Economic Administration and Development Nurul Edy and Acting Head of Environment Office of Central Kalimantan, Vent Christway. (ran/sop/ben/translated by feb)