Hundreds of people in Muntai Barat Village, Bengkalis, were immediately excited when they saw President Joko Widodo arrive at Raja Kecik Beach, Tuesday (28/9/2021). President Jokowi together with the community planted 20,000 mangrove seedlings on one of Indonesia's foremost islands. The seeds planted were mangrove (Rhizopora sp) and api-api (Avicenia sp) seeds. Bengkalis Regency is one of the widest locations for the rehabilitation of coastal areas that are included in the 2020-2021 Mangrove National Economic Recovery (PEN) program in Riau Province, with a rehabilitation area of 1,292 hectares. "Through planting together, we hope that this area can be repaired and rehabilitated in order to control abrasion, as well as to support regional ecotourism. Of course this will support the economy of the people here," said President Jokowi. He said the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) together with the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM), accelerated the rehabilitation of 34,250 ha of mangroves spread across 32 provinces throughout Indonesia.
"We will continue to carry out mangrove rehabilitation throughout the country, because mangrove forests store 4-5 times more carbon than mainland tropical forests so that they will contribute greatly to the absorption of carbon emissions. This also confirms our commitment to the Paris Agreement and global climate change," said President Jokowi. Besides aiming to restore damaged mangrove forest areas, Mangrove PEN also aims to increase mangrove forest cover, as well as improve the economy and community welfare because all Mangrove PEN payments are made directly to community accounts (account to account) and group accounts. In 2020, the implementation of mangrove PEN in the Riau Province was carried out by 36 farmer groups, absorbing 48,504 HOK (workdays) workers and planting 3,625,900 seedlings. Meanwhile, in 2021, PEN mangroves cover an area of 5,050 hectares, which are carried out by 134 farmer groups with employment reaching 210,823 HOK and a target of planting 14,704,000 mangrove seedlings. At the mangrove planting site, President Jokowi was accompanied by Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, Head of BRGM Hartono, and Regent of Bengkalis Kasmarni, who had direct dialogue with the people who carried out the planting.
"The President's arrival all the way to the island of Bengkalis brings hope of saving our village with the mangrove program. Alhamdulillah, with the mangrove program since 2020, hundreds of people have received income during the difficult time of the pandemic. Per person, some even earn Rp. 3.5 - Rp. 4 million/ months," said Saparis (74), a local villager. Bengkalis Regent Kasmarni also expressed his gratitude for President Jokowi's visit to West Muntai Village. This location is the foremost area directly adjacent to neighboring countries, and is only separated by the Melaka Strait. "We are very grateful for the attention of the President, the Minister of LHK and BRGM, who have come directly to the island of Bengkalis. Through PEN Mangrove, thousands of our people not only get environmental benefits but also economic benefits," said Kasmarni. After the visit to Bengkalis Island, President Jokowi continued his working visit to Batam City, Riau Islands Province.
At this location, mangrove planting was also carried out with the community in Setokok Village, Bulang District, Batam City, precisely in Sungai Besar Village, Tanjung Sinembah Protected Forest Area, KPHL Unit II Batam. The mangrove PEN activities in the Riau Islands Province in 2020 covering an area of more than 743 hectares were carried out by 38 farmer groups, absorbed 51,460 Worker Days (HOK) and planted 2,698,500 propagule seeds. While in 2021, PEN mangroves will be implemented with a total area of 2,700 hectares, 107 farmer groups will be carried out with employment of 173,983 HOK and planting 8,319,400 seedlings.
