Tuesday (02/09), Gemawan Institute conducted a CSO (Civil Society Organization) Forum with the theme “Strengthening the Roles of Civil Society Organizations to Encourage Food Synergy in Land and Forest Protection Schemes“. According to Ridho Faizinda, from Gemawan, this activity aimed to build a mutual understanding with the existing networks and partners. “The potential of the existing forest resources must be developed since it will contribute to food security and increase community welfare,” he said.
The pandemic of Covid-19 gives valuable lessons for human, especially in preparing the needs of food during the pandemic. “Food needs are highly important in time of Covid like this. Even if we have a lot of money, it is useless because we cannot leave the house.” said Director of Gemawan, Laili Khairnur, in her welcome remark.
Experts predict that nearly 1 billion people will starve, so that we must prepare solutions to face it. “From the social forestry scheme, forests are not managed optimally, therefore Gemawan wishes to consolidate women’s groups with the civil society on food issues and forest utilization,” he explained.
Presenting guest speakers from the Department of Food, Livestock and Animal Health of West Kalimantan Province, the Department of Environment and Forestry of West Kalimantan Province, and academics, this activity aimed to consolidate Civil Society Organizations in the issue of food synergy in forest and land protection schemes in West Kalimantan.
According to Laili, this activity was expected to produce joint recommendations about the synergy of policy and good practices in encouraging and protecting community resilience, independence and food sufficiency. “We also hope that there will be a joint strategy regarding models and good practices whether it is in the issues of self-sufficiency, resilience and food sufficiency which have been implemented in West Kalimantan,” he added.
Held at Mercure Hotel Pontianak, this one-day activity invited a CSO networks in West Kalimantan as well as women’s groups from several regions, such as Sambas Regency and Kubu Raya Regency. Health protocols to break the chain of Covid distibution were also implemented. “For the sake of implementing health protocols, this agenda was also conducted online. There were guest speakers who delivered the materials online, “he concluded.