InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA - The Indonesian government's plan to allocate 20 million hectares of forest for food and energy needs has sparked sharp criticism from various parties. Civil society alliances argue that this move is economically and ecologically unrealistic, particularly as it could exacerbate deforestation and increase environmental burdens.
According to data from the Ministry of Forestry as of December 5, 2024, the land is intended to promote energy self-sufficiency through the development of bioenergy, including B40 biodiesel. However, this policy raises concerns about land use conflicts between food and energy needs.
Andi Muttaqien, Executive Director of Satya Bumi, emphasized that the development of bioenergy, such as palm oil, must consider environmental carrying capacity. Research from Satya Bumi indicates that the maximum allowable area for palm oil cultivation in Indonesia is 18.15 million hectares, while the current palm oil plantation area has reached 17.77 million hectares.
“If the plan to expand by 20 million hectares is implemented, the area of palm oil plantations could exceed environmental carrying capacity. This will worsen ecosystem damage and threaten biodiversity sustainability and human life,” Andi stated in an official statement reported by InfoSAWIT on January 25, 2025.
Achmad Surambo, Executive Director of Sawit Watch, added that the trend of converting food land into palm oil plantations is increasingly concerning. During the previous administration (2015–2024), approximately 698,566 hectares of food land were converted into palm oil plantations.
“The remaining food land is increasingly threatened, and if conversion continues, it will disrupt the national food security system,” Surambo asserted. He also pointed out that the Sustainable Agricultural Land Protection Policy (PLP2B) has not effectively halted the conversion of food land.
In addition to biodiesel, the government is also promoting wood biomass as an energy source. However, the development of Energy Plantations (HTE) for biomass has proven to cause deforestation. Amalya Reza Oktaviani, Campaign Manager for Bioenergy Trend Asia, explained that biomass production for export markets has sacrificed natural forests and threatened indigenous communities.
“Our research shows that the biomass demand for national and export markets could drive deforestation up to 3.3 million hectares. The claim that biomass development will not cause deforestation is incorrect,” Amalya stated.
Of the total 20 million hectares planned, 15.53 million hectares come from unlicensed land, including protected forests and production forests. Civil society alliances urge the government to be more transparent and improve land permit governance before launching this ambitious program.
This controversy highlights the significant challenges in achieving a balance between energy, food needs, and environmental protection. The government is expected to take more cautious steps and listen to input from various parties to prevent broader damage. (T2)