Korea’s Strategic Steps to Support Forest Fire Management Efforts in Indonesia

Jakarta, August 8, 2025 – Official Development Assistance (ODA) is a crucial instrument in supporting sustainable development in developing countries. The Government of Korea is one of the nations actively contributing to global development efforts through ODA, including in Indonesia. This commitment is realized through various bilateral collaborations in the forestry sector, aiming to strengthen local capacity in sustainable natural resource management.

One of the concrete contributions of Korea is through the project titled Development of Forest and Land Fire Managament System in South Sumatera, with the Korea-Indonesia Forest Cooperation Center (KIFC) serving as the Project Management Team since 2022. This project plays a key role in enhancing forest fire management systems in high-risk areas such as South Sumatera.

The project is based on the growing threat of forest and land fires in Indonesia, which cause ecological, social and economic losses annually. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has reported recurring forest fires in several areas across Kalimantan and Sumatera, including South Sumatera and Jambi. The Ministry of Foresry, through the Karhutla Monitoring System (SiPongi+), recorded more than 8000 ha of forest and land burned throughout 2025. The spike in fire intensity since early August 2025 has highlighted the need for effective and efficient operations by Manggala Agni, Indonesia’s forest fire management task force.

In response, KIFC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Forestry and private sector partners, implemented a series of technical training programs focused on vehicle mechanics. These training sessions aim to equip Manggala Agni personnel with knowledge and skills on the function and maintenance of machinery. The sessions include separate trainings for two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles.

Activity 1: Two-Wheel Vehicle Mechanic Training (June and July 2025)

The training was held twice, on June 24-25 and July 22-23, 2025, in collaboration with PT Super Sukses Motor (Kawasaki Palembang). A total of 20 Manggala Agni personnel from South Sumatera, Jambi, and Lampung participated in the training, where they learned the working mechanisms, functions, and maintenance of two-wheeled vehicles.

Motorcycles are a crucial part of the Manggala Agni fleet as they can access fire hotspots in areas where four-wheeled vehicles cannot reach. Given the challenging terrain and long distances, motorcycles require regular maintenane and specific technical skills to ensure they are always ready for patrols and early fire response.

Activity 2: Four-Wheel Vehicle Mechanic Training (July 29-30 2025)

This training was held in collaboration with PT Lautan Berlian Utama Motor (Mitsubishi Palembang), focusing on the maintenance of 4WD vehicles used to transport personnel, firefighting equipment, and logistics to strategic locations across difficult terrains. Field data shows that some units have experienced performance issues, inhibiting mobility. Therefore, skills in field-based maintenance and repair are vital.

Participants learned comprehensive inspection procedures, preventive maintenance, electrical system repair, and combustion chamber cleaning.

These trainings are part of a broader set of programs run by KIFC under the ODA project in Indonesia. Through cross-country collaboration involving the private sector and technical sield institutions, the program reflects Korea’s spirit of solidarity and commitment to supporting climate and environmental resilience in Indonesia. ODA is not just aid, it is a long-term investment in local capacity to address evolving environmental challenges. It is hoped that such strategic initiatives can be expanded to othe priority regions and strengthen Indonesia’s position in achieving emission reduction targets and sustainable development goals.