RRI.CO.ID, Surakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Forestry is ramping up efforts to protect Indonesia’s native orchid species through a multi-stakeholder strategy combining habitat conservation, sustainable cultivation, public education, and community empowerment.

Speaking at the Solo Anggrek Festival (SAF) 2026 or Solo Orchid Festival 2026 at Loji Gandrung, Surakarta, on Sunday, July 19, 2026, Deputy Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki underscored that habitat protection remains vital to safeguarding national biodiversity, given that roughly 70 percent of Indonesia's native orchid species originate from forest ecosystems.

To mark the occasion, the ministry handed over 1,000 plant seedlings to local communities and plant enthusiast groups to support urban reforestation and biodiversity conservation.

"This orchid festival demonstrates a collaboration between forest conservation, education, cultivation innovation, tourism, culture, and community economic growth, conservation and utilization do not need to be pitted against each other; they must be combined so that both move forward together," Rohmat said, as quoted by the ministry's official website.

Rohmat outlined key government priorities for the sector, which include advancing ex-situ cultivation, reintroducing cultivated species back into wild habitats, establishing traceability systems for the orchid trade, and encouraging responsible breeding using local germplasm.

The initiative received strong backing from regional and agricultural leaders who highlighted the commercial prospects of floriculture. Surakarta Mayor Respati Ardianto noted that ornamental plant development serves dual goals of urban greening and economic creation.

"Preserving orchids is a shared responsibility. Developing ornamental plants not only supports environmental sustainability but also creates economic opportunities and jobs in urban areas," Respati said.

Echoing this sentiment, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono categorized orchids as a high-value horticultural commodity capable of boosting Indonesia's global market competitiveness through improved farmer capacity and expanded market access. Meanwhile, the Central Java Agriculture and Plantation Agency confirmed that the province's floriculture sector continues to expand, driven by rising production and export demand.

Through continued cross-sector collaboration involving government bodies, academic researchers, business players, and community groups, the Ministry of Forestry aims to secure the long-term survival of native orchid species while unlocking sustainable economic benefits for local growers. ***