Bisnis.comPALEMBANG – The Canadian government has disbursed funding of 16.8 million Canadian dollars or the equivalent of 190 billion rupees for the Land for Life project in South Sumatra and 2 other provinces in the country.

The Land for Life (Land4Lives) project is a climate change mitigation project, a collaboration between the governments of Indonesia and Canada and involves partners, one of which is World Agroforestry (ICRAF).

Gayle Barnett, Head of Cooperation at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), said South Sumatra has about 2 million hectares of peatlands vulnerable to deforestation and fires, although many people’s livelihoods depend on the region.

“Therefore, we support South Sumatra to design food security, especially for vulnerable communities and women,” she said at the event. to start up Workshop on Land for Life online, Wednesday (2/2/2022).

Barnet said the financial support is expected to improve the lives of 100,000 farmers in South Sumatra, Southeast Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara.

He explained that the Land4Lives project encourages communities to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices (climate-smart agriculture practice).

This practice is believed to be able to increase residents’ resilience in the fight against climate change, especially for vulnerable farmers in Lalan Mendis Forest Management Unit (KPH), Musi Banyuasin Regency and of Saleh-Sugihan (KHG) peat hydrological unit, Banyuasin regency. .

“We hope that South Sumatra can help reduce carbon emissions as the Land4Lives project is also in line with climate change mitigation goals,” he said.

Meanwhile, Assistant I for Government and People’s Welfare of the South Sumatra Regional Secretariat, Rosidin, said involving the community in environmental projects was the right step.

“So they can stay productive. With the inclusion of the ICRAF and GAC projects, it is hoped that forest and ground fires will not happen again,” he said.

ICRAF Indonesia Director Sonya Dewi added that the continued environmental degradation in Indonesia has affected 50-60 million people.

“They are the ones who depend on natural ecosystems for their livelihoods and food security,” he said.

In addition, climate change is expected to affect agricultural productivity, with serious implications for smallholders who depend on subsistence and cash crops.

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