Header photo: © Stephanie Broekaerts / IUCN NL
Supported by the European Union, KKI Warsi, Walhi, Aksi! and IUCN NL work together on the project ‘CSOs standing Shoulder to Shoulder in Defence of Forest Livelihoods’, which encompasses three provinces on the island of Sumatra. The aim is to ensure that IP&LCs in the provinces of Jambi, Bengkulu and West Sumatra are able to carry out sustainable forest management in an inclusive manner, whilst the government provides adequate policy support to improve livelihoods and increase forest sustainability.
To reduce deforestation, the Indonesian government has been implementing various policies. For instance, the government has a Social Forestry (SF) programme, that grants IP&LCs management and user rights over their forest areas for 35 years. This programme not only aims to protect forests but also seeks to improve the welfare for IP&LCs. Empowerment of local stakeholders to lead in adapting to climate change further ensures that the voices of communities on the frontlines of climate impacts are heard in decision-making that directly affects their lives and livelihoods.
The ambition of the Shoulder to Shoulder programme is to halt high deforestation rates due to (illegal) logging and mining activities, and massive land clearing for mono-crop plantations, infrastructure and housing. Thereto social forestry permits for village forests (hutan desa), community forests (hutan kemasyarakatan) or customary forests (hutan adat) need to be secured, sustainable community management of the forests strengthened, and community enterprises established to improve livelihoods. The location of social forests is strategically chosen; they can be aligned to form corridors for wildlife, function as buffer zones around protected areas (e.g. Kerinci Seblat National Park), and offer alternative economic activities for poor communities who try to make some money from (illegal) logging and mining.
Therefore, the project works towards the following three outcomes:
- Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Community-based Organisations (CBOs) have built capacity and networks to influence governments (Indonesian and European) regarding forest and natural resource management policies through monitoring and engaging in public policy dialogue at local, national and international levels.
- CSOs and CBOs implement the Social Forestry (SF) programme, secure legality for IP&LC forest management, strengthen solidarity systems and traditional values in managing natural resources, establish sustainable and inclusive community enterprises and protect remaining forests in the Sumatran provinces of Jambi, West Sumatra and Bengkulu.
- Governments at provincial and district levels have platforms for input from civil society and for deliberation on policy development, and ensure implementation of policies for rights recognition regarding social forestry, services, tenure management and livelihood development of IP&LCs.
KKI Warsi, Walhi, Aksi! and IUCN NL also collaborate within the Green Livelihoods Alliance on the programme Forests for a Just Future. Furthermore, KKI Warsi and IUCN NL are co-implementing the programme Strengthen the Roots in West Sumatra that aims to enable CSOs to mobilise local (financial) support for their work.
This project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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