PT DAHANA’s Social and Environmental Responsibility (SER) Unit organized Training for Technical Guidance on Forest and Agroforestry Farmer Group Dynamics. The training was attended the Tangkalna Lestari Abadi Forest Farmers Group and held at Saung Kopi DAHANA, Subang, Wednesday, 31 August 2023.
DAHANA’s SER Unit Chairman Eman Suherman said that the Indonesian explosives mecca company is committed to the progress and development of the local community, particularly in terms of the economic improvement. In this case, DAHANA wished the community to be able to utilize the forest in DAHANA’s Three Ring Zone area, which is a safe distance outside of production and office areas, to become productive forest.
“DAHANA wants the community to be able to optimize the land by means of community empowerment by cooperating with Forestry Farmer Group to ensure that the land brings beneficial value both for DAHANA and for increase of the economic value of the surrounding community.
Mr Suherman revealed that the reason why agroforestry system was chosen is the fact that, apart from improvement of the people’s economy, agroforestry is considered to be safe for the forest ecosystem assuring that the forest as the lungs of the earth will remain intact. This is in line with DAHANA’s green commitment that has been demonstrated the first time it moved to Subang with an office area certified Green Building Level Platinum from GBCI.
The program was also appreciated by the Head of the Region 2 of West Java Provincial Forestry Service, Lasmawati, who expressed her appreciation to DAHANA for facilitating the Forest Farmers Group to cultivate the land owned by DAHANA. She hoped that this program can run smoothly and reap the expected results.
“I hope that farmers are able to maximize and utilize the areas that DAHANA has facilitated. If the community can take advantage of the forest, there will be results with economic value. “Sustainable Forests, Prosperous Communities,” said Mrs Lasmawati.
Meanwhile, Sarip Durahman as Chair of the Tangkalna Lestari Abadi Forest Farmers Group hoped they get continuous guidance and monitoring from related agencies. He realized that farming in the forest was different from other farms.
“Firstly, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to DAHANA for giving us the opportunity to utilize the land and for providing agroforestry training. We also hope to continue learning about what we should do to maintain sustainability while simultaneously utilizing forest products,” concluded Mr Durahman.