[P3H] _The existence of environmental and forestry research institutions is highly appreciated by the Minister for Research and Technology/ Chairman of National Agency for Research and Innovation (BRIN), Prof. Bambang P.S. Brodjonegoro. According to him, a role of research institutions is very important to provide scientific inputs or science-based recommendations for the Government of Indonesia in order to make forest management-related policies.

It was conveyed by the Minister Bambang when visiting the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) -International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), and the Interim Secretariat of the International Tropical Peatlands Center (ITPC), Dramaga, Bogor, 23 January 2020.

In his direction, the Minister Bambang emphasized that research institutions could support the government's priority agenda, including the issue of climate change, land and forest fires (Karhutla), Social Forestry programs, and the plan of new National Capital City (IKN) Development.

"The issue of climate change has been a global concern, due to huge forest and land fire incidents in several countries in the world, including Indonesia. Therefore, researchers and scientists are expected to continue to seek effective ways to cope with land and forest fires including smoke in Indonesia, to find solutions and minimize their impact. One of the things that can support those measures is to conduct research activities on peatlands, as an excellent initiative, "said the Minister Bambang.

Supporting land and forest fire prevention, the Minister Bambang also believes that the Social Forestry programs become very important as one solution for the challenge. "As a democratic country, the issue of social forestry becomes highly important day to day, since social forestry means widening access to local communities to use forests without destroying the area. It means that both environmental protection and economic development support one and another in the same time to help local communities deal with current conditions,” he continued.

He advised that the Social Forestry programs should also continue to be promoted, as was often highlighted by the Minister for Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, and the President Joko Widodo. "In general, people who live around forests are poor community, so all stakeholders must support them, not only in the form of social assistance, but also new hopes, through providing employment, business opportunities in agriculture or agroforestry," the Minister Bambang explained.

In this regard, CIFOR-ICRAF and ITPC are expected to take a role through various research and community capacity building activities. Meanwhile, in relation to the Indonesian government's plan to prepare a new IKN with the concept of a Forest City, the Minister Bambang requested support from all forestry research institutions to provide recommendations on how to implement the Forest City concept, and ensure that the new IKN would not cause damage to the surrounding environment.

"I expect that CIFOR-ICRAF and ITPC can contribute to Indonesia, a  tropical rain forests-rich country, to make it a role model for tropical forest management in the world," the Minister Bambang concluded when closing his direction.

During the visit, the Minister Bambang was accompanied by Senior Expert for Relevance and Productivity Prof. Dr. Ismunandar; Deputy for Research and Development Strengthening, Dr. Muhammad Dimyati; Deputy Secretary for Research and Development Strengthening, Ir. Prakoso; Director for Industrial Technology Development, Dr. Eng. Hotmatua Daulay; and Director for Industrial Innovation, Mr. Ir. Santoso Yudo Warsono, M. Eng.

The visit of the Minister to CIFOR-ICRAF, and the ITPC Interim Secretariat, is part of the Ministry of Research and Technology's agenda in reviewing all research facilities in Indonesia, particularly in agriculture and forestry. Previously, the Minister visited SEAMEO-BIOTROP, Science Techno Park-IPB, and Agro Techno Park-IPB. During the visit, the Minister was accompanied by the DG of FORDA, Dr. Agus Justianto.

Meanwhile, the visit of the Minister to the CIFOR-ICRAF office was welcomed by the DG of CIFOR Dr. Robert Nasi, ICRAF Country Coordinator for Indonesia, Dr. Sonya Dewi, and the Director of the Center for Forest Research and Development (P3H), Dr. Kirsfianti L. Ginoga, as well as ITPC Coordinator, Dr. Haruni Krisnawati.

In their remarks, Robert Nasi and Sonya Dewi conveyed the background of the establishment of CIFOR and ICRAF, the objectives, activities of the research activities that have been running, and the results of their research. Meanwhile, the DG of FORDA conveyed the importance of ITPC as a center for tropical peatland research and development, particularly for the countries that have the largest peat areas in the world. The visit of the Minister was then closed by planting Shorea pinanga (red meranti) trees in CIFOR's courtyard.***