The Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Forestry (MoF) of the Republic of Indonesia, officially launched the 2nd Training of Trainers on Forest Fire Suppression in Peatland on 13 April 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The training is implemented under the Forest Fire Management in Asia (FFMA) Initiative, with the support of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MOEFA) and the Korea Forest Service (KFS). The opening ceremony marked not only the start of a two-week technical training program, but also a renewed regional commitment to strengthening peatland fire management capacities across Asia.
Peatland fires have become one of the most complex forest fire challenges in the region due to their underground smouldering behavior, hydrological sensitivity, prolonged burning duration, and far-reaching environmental and health impacts. In response, AFoCO and its partners have continued to develop ecosystem-specific training programs under the FFMA Initiative, recognizing that effective forest fire management requires not only equipment and systems, but also skilled human resources, practical field experience, and strong regional cooperation.
The two-week training program brings together a total of 23 participants from six (6) AFoCO Member Countries—Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste. In addition to trainees, the program is supported by expert trainers from France, Republic of Korea, and Indonesia creating a multi-national learning environment that integrates regional experience with international technical expertise. The participants have been selected as future trainers who are expected to replicate and disseminate the knowledge and skills acquired through this course at the national level.
The program is designed as an integrated learning course combining lectures, simulation-based exercises, and field practice. It focuses on strengthening technical competency in peatland fire behavior, enhancing operational readiness, improving safety and coordination, and developing future trainers. Expected outcomes include the development of skilled practitioners, strengthened field capacity, expanded regional training networks, and standardized approaches to peatland fire suppression under the FFMA framework.
Opening Ceremony in Jakarta: Enhancing Collaboration on Peatland Fire Management
Held at the Ministry of Forestry in Jakarta, the Opening Ceremony brought together high-level representatives from Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, France, ASEAN, and academia. The event reflected the multi-layered partnership structure behind the FFMA Initiative, linking regional policy, technical cooperation, field-based training, and academic expertise.
Dr. Yeongjoo Lee, Head of the Regional Office for Mekong of AFoCO, emphasized that the training represents a flagship activity under the FFMA framework and highlighted the need for a structured and scalable regional capacity-building system in response to increasingly complex forest fire risks driven by climate change.
H.E. Mr. Rohmat Marzuki, Vice Minister of Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, formally declared the opening of the training. He outlined Indonesia’s three-pillar approach to peatland fire management including climate monitoring, integrated operational control, and land-use management, and emphasized the importance of strengthening human resource capacity to effectively address peatland fire challenges.
H.E. Mr. Yoon Soon-gu, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Indonesia, emphasized the importance of international cooperation and field-based capacity building. He highlighted Korea’s continued support through training centers and recent bilateral cooperation frameworks, underscoring the transition from policy to practical implementation.
Mr. Fabrice Fize, Deputy Head of Mission of the French Embassy to Indonesia, reaffirmed France’s commitment to the FFMA Initiative and highlighted ongoing cooperation in training and higher education, including collaboration with PSL University in France. He noted the importance of equipping participants with practical skills to address peatland fire challenges.
Mr. Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Economic Community, stressed that peatland fires remain a major regional and global challenge, particularly due to their contribution to transboundary haze and carbon emissions. He emphasized that such challenges require coordinated regional action and highlighted the alignment of the training with ASEAN’s long-term strategies on climate resilience and sustainable forest management.
Prof. Dr. Dodik Nurrochmat, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and Environment of IPB University, underlined the ecological and socio-economic importance of peatlands, noting that the training serves not only as a technical program but also as a platform for knowledge exchange, regional solidarity, and the development of future trainers.
Technical Focus: Peatland-Specific Capacity Building
The training has been designed to address the unique characteristics of peatland fires. Participants will deepen their understanding of underground smouldering, fire persistence, and water management, while strengthening coordinated response capabilities through integrated learning modules. The program places strong emphasis on practical application, linking scientific knowledge with simulation-based learning and field exercises. This reflects the FFMA Initiative’s approach of integrating policy, technology, and field-level capacity building to strengthen forest fire management systems across Asia.
Toward Stronger Regional Preparedness and Cooperation
The opening ceremony demonstrated that peatland fire management is increasingly recognized as a shared regional priority requiring coordinated international cooperation. Across all remarks, speakers consistently emphasized the growing risks of climate-driven forest fires, the unique challenges of peatland ecosystems, and the need for strengthened collaboration.
As AFoCO continues to implement the FFMA Initiative, this training is expected to contribute to building a stronger regional network of trainers and enhancing practical preparedness for peatland fire suppression. AFoCO expressed sincere appreciation to all partners, including the Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and the Republic of Korea, IPB University, the ASEAN Secretariat, for their continued support and collaboration.
Submitted by Kiwon Kim, Program Officer, Capacity-Building and Evaluation Team