REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, said the Government of the United States (US) would provide assistance of 2.9 million US dollars for restoration of forests in Indonesia.
"President Joko Widodo already told us that the US have been willing to help of 2.9 million US dollars," Siti stated, in Jakarta, Friday (13/11).
Siti explained, the Ministry had developed a prevention program for Indonesian forests through forest restoration on a large scale, which requires large budget. The restoration priority was on managing the land, arranging of drainage, and improving regulation.
"Massive restoration would require a large amount of budget. We hope, there still supports from international," she added.
Meanwhile, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the burning peat forest restoration became a shared responsibility between government, companies, and communities. Smoke disasters due to peat fires in Indonesia were caused also by logging activities by foreign companies since 1960.
"In 1960/1970's various companies in the world came to do the logging in Indonesia," said Kalla, in Jakarta, Friday (13/11).