Jakarta, April 12 -- The Ministry of Forestry and the Ministry of Manpower have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on empowering Indonesian farmers in forest areas under the social forestry program.

"This MoU is expected to create job opportunities and help empower farmers operating in forest areas," Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated in a press release on Saturday.

Following the signing ceremony in Jakarta on Friday (April 11), Minister Antoni explained that the agreement lays the foundation for both ministries to broaden farmers' access to the agricultural potential of Indonesian forests.

"To date, we have opened access to 8.3 million hectares of forest land for farmers to utilize," he remarked, adding th...