MANU Partners with the Yogyakarta Social Forestry Center to Support Food Agroforestry Development in Indonesia

Jember, May 25, 2026 – PT Mekar Asta Nusantara (MANU) has officially entered into a collaboration with the Yogyakarta Social Forestry Center, the Directorate General of Social Forestry, and the Ministry of Forestry to support the development of food agroforestry in Indonesia.

The signing of this Cooperation Agreement covers forest area development and capacity building for Social Forestry Groups (Kelompok Perhutanan Sosial/KPS) in East Java. The initiative also forms part of the MEKAR Ecosystem’s commitment to strengthening food security and empowering local communities through the agricultural sector.

Through this collaboration, both the public and private sectors are working together to promote more productive utilization of forest areas through an agroforestry approach while creating future economic opportunities for local communities.

President Director of PT Mekar Asta Nusantara, Evi Febriana Suhardi, stated that ensuring Indonesia’s long-term food sustainability requires strong synergy and collaboration among various stakeholders to create lasting impact for society.

“Food sustainability is not only about meeting today’s needs, but also about building an ecosystem that can grow alongside communities in the long term. We are currently developing agroforestry areas as a form of productive forest utilization through the cultivation of seasonal crops such as corn while maintaining sustainability and productivity. We hope this initiative can create tangible impact, ranging from strengthening community capacity to generating sustainable economic value,” said Evi.

MANU will also support the development of food agroforestry through community assistance programs, capacity-building initiatives, and the development of agricultural commodities that provide economic value for communities living around forest areas.

Head of the Yogyakarta Social Forestry Center, Wahyudi Ardhyanto, emphasized that Social Forestry management should go hand in hand with efforts to preserve forest functions through an agroforestry-based approach.

“Through this collaboration, we hope Social Forestry management will not only generate economic benefits for communities but also preserve and restore forest functions. Agroforestry practices that combine timber-producing trees with seasonal crops such as corn are essential to ensuring that forest areas remain both productive and sustainable,” said Wahyudi Ardhyanto.

Moving forward, this program is expected to serve as a concrete step toward strengthening Indonesia’s national food security through the optimization of productive forest areas and the development of corn-based agroforestry and other food commodities in Jember and other regions.