JAKARTA Millions of residents of Jakarta have for the past several weeks suffered from some of the worst air pollution recorded anywhere in the world. Even President Joko Widodo has been affected by the problem a problem his own administration refused to address even after being ordered to do so by a court […]
JAKARTA A new foundation has been established to support Indonesian farmers in protecting forests and selling their sustainably produced products to the global market. The foundation, called the Farmers For Forest Protection Foundation (4F), was established by the association of Indonesian palm oil farmers, or SPKS. This makes 4F the only foundation platform in Indonesia […]
JAKARTA Most peatlands in Indonesia that need protection are currently not protected, a new study has found. It identifies 5.65 million hectares (13.96 million acres) of peatlands an area nearly twice the size of Belgium that should be conserved, but that are located outside of protected areas. Peatlands serve as a major […]
JAKARTA Suryani grew up in a family of farmers on the island of Java in Indonesia. Her parents are members of a farmer’s union called SPP. The land they live and farm on isn’t titled, so Suryani knows very well the importance of having farmers’ land rights recognized and protected. Yet she’s also seen […]
JAKARTA A government audit on Indonesia’s palm oil industry found that 9 million hectares (22.2 million acres) of concession holders an area three times the size of Belgium don’t pay taxes. According to Luhut Pandjaitan, the chief minister in charge of investments, including the palm oil industry, the government arrived at that […]