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Riau paper company raises forest fire awareness 'to support Asian Games'
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PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) director Rudi Fajar (foreground) explains the Fire-Free Village Programme (FFVP) to local officials on Jan. 31, 2016. (-/Courtesy of PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper )
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T Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP) has said it is supporting the 2018 Asian Games by raising awareness on the dangers and impacts of forest fires in an effort to reduce the number of fire incidents in Riau.
Through its Fire Free Village Programme (FFVP), RAPP educates villagers living in and near the company's concession areas about the dangers of the slash-and-burn method, which farmers commonly use to clear land for cultivation.
RAPP president director Sihol P. Aritonang said the program was part of the company's support to the 2018 Asian Games.
Indonesia is hosting this year's Asiad from Aug. 18 to Sept. 2 in Jakarta and Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra.
According to RAPP, 27 villages in five districts of Pangakalan Kerinci, Riau, have been involved in the program since it was implemented in 2014. The FFVP has provided agricultural assistance like tree seedlings, facilities and infrastructure, as well as training on alternative land clearing methods.
The company said it has also cooperated with local branches of religious organizations such as the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and local environmental NGOs like the Laskar Alam Foundation and Perkumpulan Tapak in preventing fires.
The program claims to have successfully reduced fire incidents in Pangkalan Kerinci, from 0.18 percent of burned areas in 2014 to 0.03 percent of burned areas in 2017. (ris/dmr)
