FORCLIME 4.0 has been collaborating with the Makassar Environment and Forestry Training Center in the development of environmental and forestry human resources in Eastern Indonesia. Collaboration is also being carried out with the Makassar State Forestry Vocational School for vocational education. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has been paying close attention to this collaboration, which was realized through a visit to the Makassar State Forestry Vocational School that took place on 23 October 2023. The visit was one of several planned activities of the BMZ Delegation during its visit to Indonesia, which took place between 21 and 27 October 2023. The BMZ delegation, which was led by BMZ Parliamentary State Secretary, Ms Baerbel Kofler, was received by the Head of the Foreign Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Mr Dida Migfar Ridha.

Several topics were discussed during the visit, including: (1) Efforts to develop environment and forestry human resources that are being undertaken at the Makassar Environment and Forestry Training Center (2) Vocational education efforts that are being organized by the Makassar State Forestry Vocational School; (3) Strategic issues related to community-based forest management.

The BMZ delegation also held a dialogue with students and visited facilities at the Makassar State Forestry Vocational School, including a tissue culture laboratory, forest plant nursery, bee cultivation facility and waste bank.

During the visit, Ms Kofler stated that she had been highly impressed by her visit and expressed the hope that the students who are set to become the nation's next generation of leaders and professionals will continue to study intensively in order to develop their professionalism as regards the conservation of forests within Indonesia.

After concluding the visit to Makassar, the BMZ Delegation continued to the GIZ working area in the Lore Lindu Biosphere Reserve in Central Sulawesi.

For more information, please contact:
Edy Marbyanto, Strategic Area Manager for Human Capacity Development