Bojonegoro – PT Pertamina EP Cepu (PT Pertamina EP Cepu) handed over the agroforestry program based on forest areas with the community to farmers working on forest land who are members of the Hutran Village Community Institution (LMDH) RimbaTani, Bandungrejo Village, Ngasem District, Bojonegoro Regency. The program initiated by PT Pertamina EP Cepu since 2019 in collaboration with the Indonesian NGO IDFoS is one of PT Pertamina EP Cepu’s community empowerment programs that has been approved by SKK Migas.
The Head of the Bojonegoro Regency Village Community Empowerment Service (DPMD), Mahmudin, who was present at the evaluation and handover of the agroforestry program, also provided input and direction. “Strengthening LMDH institutions is one aspect that is also very important, so that LMDH has the ability to be an economic driver for rural communities around forests. Considering that almost 60% of agricultural land in Bojonegoro is in forest areas”. This program has good agro-tourism potential, especially if this agroforestry program can be connected with other potentials around it, he concluded.
With the handover of this agroforestry program, it is hoped that it can become an alternative to economic improvement for forest village communities in the future, because if managed properly the cultivation of this longan fruit has very promising economic potential.
This was conveyed by the District Head of Ngasem Waji in the program handover event at the Ngasem District hall, Bojonegoro, East Java on Tuesday (27/04). In his message, Waji hopes that the Pesanggem will have a sense of “andarbeni” or a sense of belonging to this program. “A total of 2,200 longan trees that have been planted, if managed properly, can produce maximum fruit,” said Waji.
The 2nd phase of the Agroforestry Program runs from 2020 to early 2021, the focus of the program is on plant maintenance and addition. Meanwhile, in the first phase, which was carried out in 2019, 1,500 longan trees were planted. As of 2021, there are 2,200 longan trees that have been successfully planted and grown in the Perhutani BKPH Clangap Plot 53,54,50 and 42 local protected areas (KPS).
PT Pertamina EP Cepu Community Relations & CSR Officer, Edi Arto who delivered the program handover event, said that the agroforestry program is a program that has multipotential in the long term, in addition to tree productivity which clearly provides economic results, the agroforestry program has other benefits that support ecosystem conservation for the surrounding environment. . “This tree not only has the potential to produce fruit but also has a very good impact on the maintenance of our environment, the roots of this standing tree will be able to protect river bodies along the KPS land from erosion and landslides,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Head of the Bojonegoro KPH Administration, Juwanto, who was present at the handover ceremony for the agroforestry program, expressed his high appreciation for PT Pertamina EP Cepu. Because this is a very extraordinary program that is supported by PT Pertamina EP Cepu. “A program like this is very beneficial for the environment, which if converted to economic figures is actually very high in value, because it actually provides benefits for preserving the natural environment from damage. This is extraordinary,” he said.
At the evaluation of the parties and the handover of the agroforestry program, various parties present, such as representatives from the Environment Service (DLH), the Forestry Service Branch (CDK) and Bappeda, BKPH participated in active discussions with the Pesanggem and provided positive feedback and input so that The objectives of this program can actually be achieved according to what has been planned.