RRI.CO.ID, Gresik - The East Java Provincial Administration has begun piloting an innovative, food‑security–based school program to complement the Adiwiyata Mandiri environmental schools initiative. Through the program, schools are encouraged to use limited on‑site land for productive farming and livestock activities whose output students can process into marketable products.

Environment Minister, Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, praised East Java Governor, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, for achievements in environmental management, particularly waste handling.

“East Java ranks first in our assessment of environmental management and waste handling. This can serve as an example for provinces that remain less serious or negligent on the issue,” the minister said after inspecting Gresik 1 State High School, an Adiwiyata Mandiri school, in Gresik Regency on Wednesday, 15 July 2026.

According to the Ministry of Environment’s National Waste Management Information System (SIPSN), the province generates about 12,314 tons of waste per day, totaling more than eight million tons a year. Evaluation by the East Java office of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) shows source‑level waste reduction through sorting and waste banks has reached roughly 11 percent, indicating continued need to strengthen community‑based waste management.

As reported by Antara, Minister Jumhur attributed East Java’s success to regional government efforts to raise public awareness about environmental protection, including the Adiwiyata program aimed at educational institutions.

“The Adiwiyata program is the ministry’s instrument to encourage schools to build a culture of environmental care through staged assessments up to the highest level, Adiwiyata Mandiri. At Gresik 1 State High School we rated them at the highest category. They have fostered environmental awareness and become a model for schools across Indonesia," he said.

Governor Khofifah said the province is also developing food‑security–based innovative schools to complement Adiwiyata implementation. She said the concept does not require large land areas and can be implemented within school grounds through agriculture, animal husbandry or aquaculture that actively involves students.

“We want this to be a pilot project. All available land in educational institutions can be used, and the outputs processed into value‑added products that can be marketed,” she said.

Before visiting Gresik 1 State High School, the environment minister reviewed the Green and Smart Port Initiatives (ASRI) implementation at Pier C of the Petrokimia Gresik Port. The visit was part of administration efforts to promote sustainable environmental management practices in industry and port operations. ***