**Aceh Besar** – The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) is committed to accelerating the legal recognition process of the Gunung Kong Customary Law Community (MHA) in Nagan Raya Regency, Aceh. This step is taken to provide legal guarantees over customary management areas while encouraging the economic strengthening of residents around the forest through the use of digital technology.

This commitment was intensively discussed in a Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue held in Aceh Besar on Thursday (30/7/2026). The event brought together various strategic elements, ranging from the Aceh Provincial Government, the Nagan Raya Regency Government, academics, civil society organizations, customary leaders, to Social Forestry Business Groups (KUPS).

Director General of Social Forestry at the Ministry of Forestry, Catur Endah Prasetiani, explained that the recognition of indigenous peoples' rights is an important pillar in achieving equitable forest governance. The existence of customary communities that consistently protect forests using local wisdom is considered the main asset for environmental sustainability.

As of July 2026, the government recorded that it had designated 174 Customary Forests with a total area of 368,877 hectares, covering around 92,955 heads of households. Specifically during the Red and White Cabinet period from October 2024 to July 2026, the area of successfully legalized customary forests increased by 36,372.30 hectares for 9,676 heads of households.

To cut red tape and accelerate the process, the Ministry of Forestry has operated the Task Force for Accelerating the Determination of Customary Forest Status based on the Minister of Forestry Decree Number 121 of 2026. This task force focuses on synchronizing cross-sector coordination to facilitate the mapping and legality of customary forests in the country, also supported by the legal basis of the Constitutional Court Decision Number 181/PUU-XXIII/2024.

In Aceh Province itself, eight Customary Forests have been officially recognized, spread across Pidie, Bireuen, and Aceh Jaya. The presence of this legal umbrella has proven to revive local commodities such as honey, dragon's blood (jernang), rattan, and cocoa. In the case of Gunung Kong in Nagan Raya, the administrative process has now entered the finalization stage of regulation at the local government level after subject and object verifications were declared to meet the requirements.

In addition to focusing on legal aspects, the Ministry of Forestry is also encouraging the implementation of the *Integrated Area Development* (IAD) concept. Through this approach, KUPS are equipped with digital marketing training so that their forest products can penetrate wider markets by utilizing the active role of the younger generation and women.