Indonesia, May 17 -- Minister of Environment, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, underscored the importance of preparedness in preventing forest and land fires in West Kalimantan to support the success of national food and energy security programs.

"Do not wait for the fire to come before acting quickly. Preparedness is key to disaster prevention and to protecting land productivity," he said during a forest and land fire coordination meeting with the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) here on Saturday.

He noted that West Kalimantan is among the provinces most prone to wildfires. If not addressed early, fire incidents could disrupt national food and bioenergy production.

The minister emphasized the need for synergy between the government, priva...