REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has stressed that the agrarian reform and social forestry program is aimed at improving the welfare of 40 percent of the citizens from the lowest strata of society.

"I emphasize that the process of asset redistribution should be carefully monitored and (should be) on target, so that it could reach 40 percent of the people from the lowest sections of society," the president noted at a limited cabinet meeting on agrarian reform and social forestry program here, Wednesday.

The agrarian reform has targeted nine million hectares of land, while the social forestry program will cover 12.7 million hectares of forest.

"I have reminded that the spirit of agrarian reform aims to realize fairness in ownership and the right to utilize land and natural resources," he added.

The land reform will also help to solve the agrarian conflict between corporations and society, alleviate poverty, and reduce economic inequality, especially in the rural areas, Jokowi emphasized.

The president has urged the National Land Agency to identify 4.9 million hectares of land to be granted to the citizens, including abandoned land.

The land objects for agrarian reform will also include 4.85 million hectares of state forests under the Environment and Forestry Ministry.

Jokowi explained that the social forestry program will cover 12.7 million hectares of land, including village and customary forests.

"This morning, I have met the members of AMAN, the Indigenous People Alliance, and the government has acknowledged the customary land. We are working on this program, and the verified area has increased significantly. The agrarian reform must be completed," the president stated.

The agrarian reform has focused on the redistribution of land, while the social forestry program emphasizes on providing wider access to land.

Under the social forestry program, the people can benefit from the forests and manage them sustainably by cultivating crops, with the government's technical support.

A pilot project for the agrarian reform and social forestry program will be implemented in Central Sulawesi. 

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