Indonesia

The latest regulation issued by the Environment and Forestry Ministry that allows forests to be converted into farmland to support the government’s food estate program has sparked concerns of potential massive deforestation, according to the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi).

Indonesia is the world's largest exporter of palm oil, and Papua is its newest frontier. A visual investigation suggests fires have been deliberately set on the land by Korean palm oil giant that has been buying up swathes of Asia's largest remaining rainforests for their plantations.

Observers and activists have raised concerns about the leading role the Indonesian government plans to give to the military and to big corporations in a program to establish vast crop plantations across the country.

The Indonesian government says it will expand a national “food estate” program by establishing millions of hectares of new crop plantations in Sumatra and Papua. To expand the project into North Sumatra and Papua, the government is seeking out private investors; but activists say this risks a repeat of the current corporate takeover of Indigenous and community lands.

A new report released today by environmental campaign group Mighty Earth alleges that Michelin, the world’s largest tire company, was complicit in and covered up industrial-scale deforestation of over 2,500 hectares of rainforest in the run-up to the launch of its flagship ‘eco-friendly’ sustainable natural rubber joint venture project in Sumatra, Indonesia.

The Indonesian government has major plans to develop strategic infrastructures and agricultural projects, but for farmers, fishermen and indigenous communities, this represents a threat to their livelihoods, food, water, and even homes.

The Minister of Environment and Forestry said she would prepare the land needed for investment by the United Arab Emirates agricultural giant, Elite Agro LLC.

Ten civil society organizations (CSOs) members of Civil Society Coalition Against Food Estate in Papua strongly reject President Jokowi’s plan to develop a food estate with an area of ​​2,052,551 ha.

Pemerintahan Indonesia kembali merencanakan pembangunan food estate di Papua, dengan dalih untuk mengantisipasi kelangkaan dan krisis pangan akibat pandemic Covid19. Proyek dengan luas 2.052.551 hektar ini akan berlokasi di kawasan hutan Kabupaten Merauke, Mappi dan Boven Digoel.

Elite Agro LLC, perusahaan sektor pertanian asal Uni Emirat Arab (UEA), mulai menjajaki kerja sama bidang pertanian food estate atau lumbung pangan di Kalimantan Tengah dengan luas lahan 100 ribu hektare.

Indonesia has started developing a food estate to grow rice, corn and other crops. The project is expected to cover an area of 770,000 hectares (1,903,000 acres), or more than ten times the size of Singapore.

Lebih dari 50 warga Suku Awyu melakukan aksi unjuk rasa di Kantor DPRD Boven Digoel dan Kantor Bupati Boven Digoel menuntut pemerintah mencabut izin perkebunan kelapa sawit yang telah beroperasi dan sedang merencanakan perluasan lahan perkebunan di wilayah adat Suku Awyu.