Jakarta, Aug. 9 -- Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry is emphasizing the need to economically empower local communities and involve them in supplying vegetation for Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus), as part of efforts to end human-elephant conflicts in Central Aceh District, Aceh Province.

The initiative targets residents of 12 buffer villages as part of the Indonesia-United Kingdom conservation project to protect elephant populations in the region.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni discussed the joint conservation project - known as the Peusangan Elephant Conservation Initiative (PECI) - in Jakarta on August 7. The project supports the development of an elephant sanctuary on land donated by President Prabowo Subianto.

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