Ministry promotes local wisdom to restore degraded land

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Environment Ministry is involving indigenous communities in efforts to address land degradation by learning from their traditional environmental management practices and applying them to help keep Indonesia’s natural environment green and sustainable.

The ministry’s Deputy for Pollution and Environmental Degradation Control, Rasio Ridho Sani, conveyed the statement on Wednesday during the Commemoration of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, which observed annually on June 17.

"We are currently taking steps as instructed by the minister. The minister has reminded us all of the ongoing land degradation," Sani noted.

He said the minister is pursuing several measures to restore the environment through a movement called "ecological repentance" which aims to raise awareness and encourage concrete action to repair environmental damage.

On Wednesday, the ministry held a meeting to establish a road map for the protection and advancement of local wisdom in biodiversity conservation and environmental protection.

He noted that the meeting also served as an opportunity to learn from indigenous communities about their methods of preserving land and ecosystems.

He commended indigenous communities for their contribution to maintaining Indonesia's environmental sustainability, even long before the country gained independence.

Environment Minister Moh. Jumhur Hidayat has stressed that the environmental crisis requires fundamental changes in human behavior through what he called ecological repentance.

The initiative includes planting two billion trees across Indonesia, and utilizing bamboo as nature-based solutions, he said.

"We cannot merely understand environmental issues. We must become part of solution by taking real action," Hidayat said in Bogor, West Java, Monday (15/6) during commemoration of World Environment Day 2026.

He said the initiative is a national effort aimed at restoring ecosystems, rehabilitating critical land, and strengthening environmental resilience.

According to him, bamboo plays significant ecological and socioeconomic roles, including maintaining the water cycle, controlling erosion, absorbing carbon, and supporting local livelihoods.

He added that the success of the initiative will be measured not only by the number of trees planted, but also by the level of public awareness and participation it generates in sustainable environmental management.

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Reporter: Mecca Yumna Ning Prisie

Editor: Bayu Prasetyo

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