Ecobiz.asia — Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched the LEVERAGE project, a new multi-sector initiative aimed at strengthening forest law enforcement, tackling wildlife crime, and supporting Indonesia’s climate and biodiversity targets through improved governance and digital monitoring systems.
The project, officially titled Law Enforcement for Sustainable Viable Ecosystems and Biodiversity Resilience through Multi-Sectors Engagement (LEVERAGE), was launched in Jakarta on Wednesday (June 10, 2026), alongside the introduction of a new public complaint platform for forestry crimes.
The digital platform allows the public to report suspected forestry crimes and monitor enforcement responses in real time, as part of efforts to improve transparency, accountability, and public participation in forest governance.
Speaking at the launch, Vice Forestry Minister Rohmat Marzuki said the LEVERAGE project, supported by UNDP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF-8), aligns with Indonesia’s national forestry agenda, including the Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Ensure this project is aligned with Indonesia’s national forestry development agenda, the FOLU Net Sink 2030 commitment, the SDGs targets, and our biodiversity conservation policies,” Rohmat said.
He stressed that habitat protection must remain central to all wildlife conservation interventions, warning that species protection efforts would fail without safeguarding ecosystems.
Rohmat also called for stronger cross-sector collaboration in forest law enforcement, including the use of cyber intelligence, digital patrols, and network analysis to combat illegal wildlife trade increasingly conducted through social media platforms.
“We must strengthen collaborative law enforcement across sectors, including intelligence operations, cyber patrols, network analysis, and cooperation among law enforcement agencies,” he said.
The vice minister added that local communities living around forest areas should be treated as key partners in conservation, prevention, and conflict mitigation efforts.
He also instructed that lessons and knowledge generated through the LEVERAGE project be integrated into the Ministry of Forestry’s Corporate University system to strengthen the long-term capacity of forest rangers and forestry investigators nationwide.
On the newly launched complaint platform, Rohmat emphasized that every public report must be handled with integrity, clear standards, and measurable response times.
“Every complaint from the public must be handled quickly, with clear standards, measurable response times, and effective coordination,” he said.
Rohmat also reiterated President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment to strengthening forestry law enforcement, including plans to recruit an additional 21,000 forestry police personnel.
Forestry Law Enforcement Director General Dwi Januanto Nugroho said forest crime could not be addressed through fragmented approaches and required an integrated ecosystem involving multiple institutions.
“The Ministry of Forestry is only one subsystem with limitations in manpower, funding, technology, and methods. Through LEVERAGE, we are building a complete forestry law enforcement ecosystem through multi-sector collaboration,” Dwi said.
He noted that the ministry was strengthening partnerships with police, prosecutors, financial authorities, and research institutions, including the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).
According to Dwi, the cooperation framework is based on four principles: mutual respect, trust, benefit, and responsibility.
Meanwhile, UNDP Indonesia Resident Representative Sarah Ferrer Olivella described biodiversity conservation as no longer merely an environmental agenda, but also a development, economic, and climate priority.
“As a biodiversity superpower, Indonesia’s forest assets are crucial for long-term climate resilience,” she said. ***
