TEMPO.CO, Jambi - Suprayoga Hadi, the Director General of Special Region Development, the Underdeveloped Village Development and Transmigration Minister, said that village funds may be used for peatland restoration program. The village funds will be allocated mainly for infrastructure projects and people empowerment.

“Infrastructure [projects], such as canal blocking, storage reservoirs, irrigation pumps and drainage may [use village funds]. They will be pushed if villagers need them to restore peatland,” Suprayoga said in Jambi on Saturday, November 5, 2016.

However, he said, the proposals must be made through the Village Development Planning and Consultation (Musrenbang). “We will propose [the budget for] priority [projects].” After the consultation, the program may be included in the Village Administration Work Plan in the draft village budget.

The Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG) is aiming to restore peatland in 2,945 villages in seven provinces. The BRG chief Nazir Foead said that restorations are needed to mitigate high frequency of forest and land fires, adding that Indonesia has the most variety of peatland in the world. “It will strengthen Indonesia’s bargaining power in global politics,” he said.

Seven provinces are named as the top priority in peatland restoration, namely Jambi, South Sumatra, Riau, Papua, West Kalimantan and South Kalimantan.

ARKHELAUS W.