Has Indonesia's decentralisation led to improved forestry governance? : A case study of Bulungan and Kutai Barat districts, East Kalimantan

This study investigates the nature and the outcomes of the devolution of forestry authority to local governments under Indonesia's most recent and far-reaching decentralisation initiatives, put in place in 1999. The research focuses on the dynamics of the relationships between district governments and other actors in that context, based on case studies of the forest-rich Bulungan and Kutai Barat Districts, East Kalimantan. The adverse outcomes for both forests and local communities of the previous centralised forest governance regime under Indonesia's New Order Government, have been profound and well documented. Indonesia's most recent experiment with decentralisation, often referred to as regional autonomy, provided an opportunity for decentralized forestry regimes that many believed and hoped would improve forest management and provide benefits for local communities. Although there are many studies examining the devolution of forestry governance to the community or village levels, few focus on the transfer of forestry powers to the local government level. The research framework developed for this study integrated three approaches in the analysis of decentralisation of natural resources governance. The first of these is that proposed by Agrawal and Ribot (1999), which emphasizes the analytical dimensions of actors, power, and accountability. The second is the institutional analysis suggested by Manor (1999), focusing on aspects of democratic, administrative and fiscal decentralisation. The third is a model for decentralized forest management suggested by Larson (2003b), highlighting the power relations among actors. The research focuses on the initial period of decentralisation, from 1999 to 2004, using a qualitative case study approach. The changes to the political, administrative, and fiscal framework resulting from decentralisation have had a profound effect on the dynamics of forest governance in Indonesia. The most dramatic changes were in control of access to timber resources: this moved from the Centre to the districts, and then largely back again. Districts also enjoyed significantly augmented fiscal powers and increased share of forestry revenue. During the period that substantial powers were formally devolved to the district level, the two case study district governments exploited the space created by their decentralized mandates quite effectively; as a result, local actors were increasingly important in district decisions, and more benefits accrued to the local level. However, many of the accountability outcomes expected to follow decentralisation did not eventuate. Few downward accountability mechanisms, held to be critical for improved natural resource management, were found to be effective in the case study districts. Thus, at least during the first few years of decentralisation, increased control of access to forest resources and greater share of forestry-derived revenue did not improve forest management in the study districts. The study revealed dynamic and fluid forest politics at the district level. District forestry decision-making and operations have reflected the interplay between the legal-regulatory framework, relations between the Centre and district governments, and relations between and among actors at the district level. Organisational and individual actors each have their own interests and objectives shaping forestry decisions and operations at the district level, and these are well-illustrated in the research case studies. The ambiguity and inconsistency of the legal-regulatory framework, and the reluctance of Central actors to forgo powers, have resulted in tensions and a bitter power struggle between the district governments and the Centre. One of the important consequences has been that district actors have perceived their window of opportunity to be insecure, and have thus vigorously pursued short-term benefits from forest exploitation. Despite the Centre's efforts to retain and subsequently regain its powers, the case study district governments were able to develop strategies and tactics, at least for a period, to continue to ensure they and other local-level actors benefited from regional autonomy. Power relations between and among actors have determined the ways in which timber politics have been shaped at the district level. Local actors have increasingly influenced district government decision-making and forestry operations in the districts, and have destabilized the previously firm position of centrally-linked actors operating at the district level. In one district, the influence of extra-legal actors was significant and largely unchecked. However, as decentralisation progressed, the Centre's policies have ultimately determined district decisions, above and beyond local actors' influences. Forest exploitation has thus continued at the district level, at the expense of longer-term sustainability of the forests. Given the absence of strong downward accountability mechanisms, vertical accountability to the judiciary has been the most effective mechanism in keeping districts' forestry powers in check. The research conducted for this thesis suggests that the research framework developed here has shown useful in the analysis of forest governance dynamics at the district level under the decentralisation regime. Both de jure and de facto powers were taken into account in analysing how decentralisation has been played out, and this proved to be important. The institutional analysis that advances the importance of decentralised financial powers, and analysis of the role of various accountability relations beyond conventional downward accountability were relevant and useful. Further research, however, could be useful in determining how downward accountability in these contexts can explain the direct causal-effect linkages between local-level governance and NRM. The outcomes of this study also suggest that it would be desirable to investigate the incentives and motivations likely to lead to improved NRM under local forest governance. This is particularly relevant given the emphasis on avoided deforestation and reforestation in Indonesia. Finally, the rapidly evolving nature of Indonesia's decentralisation, and its progression beyond the early phase investigated by this research, suggest that it will be important to establish whether the outcomes and trends reported here will continue as they have during this initial period, or whether they will change as the decentralisation process and associated institutions mature

The Indonesian Clean River Program (Prokasih) As Perceived By The People Residing Along The Rivers In Jakarta

ABSTRACT Recognizing the importance of clean river water, the Indonesian government began to implement a national clean river program in 1989. The program was commonly known as the Prokasih and concentrated on segments of rivers throughout Indonesia. The Prokasih has been considered successful because the pollutant concentrations in these segments have decreased. This study examines the Prokasih from the perspective of ordinary people. The study evaluates their perception of the easily observable characteristics of specific segments of three rivers participating in the Prokasih. These rivers are located in Jakarta, and they are the Ciliwung, Cipinang, and Mookervari rivers. The target respondents were the people living in close proximity to these rivers. Two important findings emerge from this study. First, people residing close to Ciliwung, Cipinang, and Mookervart rivers believe that, with regard to physical characteristics such as odor, color, mud (sediments), turbidity, suds (foam), trash, and flow, the river\u27s conditions have worsened, even after the implementation of the Prokasih. Second, the majority of the people who reside along the three rivers and who are familiar with the Prokasih believe that the Prokasih has not played any positive role in preserving the river quality. From the two findings just mentioned, it can be concluded that river communities might not feel the benefits of a clean river program that is successful in lowering the technical parameters of water pollution, such as coliform, BOD, and COD. Kata Kunci.: clean river program - people residing - river - Jakarta - Environmen

Balancing carrots and sticks in REDD+: implications for social safeguards

Reducing carbon emissions through avoided deforestation and forest degradation and enhancement of carbon stocks (REDD+) is key to mitigating global climate change. The aim of REDD+ social safeguards is to ensure that REDD+ does not harm, and actually benefits, local people. To be eligible for results-based compensation through REDD+, countries should develop national-level safeguard information systems to monitor and report on the impacts of REDD+. Although safeguards represent a key step for promoting social responsibility in REDD+, they are challenging to operationalize and monitor. We analyzed the impacts of different types of REDD+ interventions (incentives vs. disincentives) on key safeguard-relevant indicators, i.e., tenure security, participation, and subjective well-being, as well as on reported forest clearing. We used household-level data collected in Brazil, Peru, Cameroon, Tanzania, Indonesia, and Vietnam from approximately 4000 households in 130 villages at two points in time (2010-2012 and 2013-2014). Our findings highlight a decrease in perceived tenure security and overall perceived well-being over time for households exposed to disincentives alone, with the addition of incentives helping to alleviate negative effects on well-being. In Brazil, although disincentives were associated with reduced reported forest clearing by smallholders, they were the intervention that most negatively affected perceived well-being, highlighting a clear trade-off between carbon and noncarbon benefits. Globally, although households exposed to REDD+ interventions were generally aware of local REDD+ initiatives, meaningful participation in initiative design and implementation lagged behind. Our analysis contributes to a relatively small literature that seeks to operationalize REDD+ social safeguards empirically and to evaluate the impacts of REDD+ interventions on local people and forests

REDD+, transformational change and the promise of performance-based payments: a qualitative comparative analysis

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) has emerged as a promising climate change mitigation mechanism in developing countries. This paper examines the national political context in 13 REDD+ countries in order to identify the enabling conditions for achieving progress with the implementation of countries REDD+ policies and measures. The analysis builds on a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) of various countries' progress with REDD+, conducted in 12 REDD+ countries in 2012, which highlighted the importance of factors such as already initiated policy change, and the presence of coalitions calling for broader policy change A follow-up survey in 2014 was considered timely because the REDD+ policy arena, at international and at country levels, is highly dynamic and undergoes constant evolution, which affects progress with REDD+ policy making and implementation. Furthermore, we will now examine whether the 'promise' of performance-based funds has played a role in enabling the establishment of REDD+. The results show a set of enabling conditions and characteristics of the policy process under which REDD+ policies can be established. The study finds that the existence of broader policy change, and availability of performance-based funding in combination with strong national ownership of the REDD+ policy process may help guide other countries seeking to formulate REDD+ policies that are likely to deliver efficient, effective, and equitable outcomes

Forest land use dynamics in Indonesia

Alternative land use remains a controversial issue in Indonesia, particularly with regard to regions outside Java. This paper aims to highlight forest land use dynamics in Indonesia, and particularly the difficulties of resolving the conflicts between conservation, the need to preserve local livelihoods, the demands of the logging industry, both legal and illegal, and the pressures to convert land from forest use to other uses, mainly agriculture, plantations and mining. The paper also stresses the importance of more research into who benefits from these competing uses of forest lands, and how these benefits have been distributed within Indonesian society. In conclusion, this paper argues that the underlying causes of deforestation in Indonesia are complex, and cover various aspects of market failure, inappropriate policy implementation in relation to forest management, lack of governance capacity at central and district levels, and other, broader socioeconomic and political issues

What would attract women to forest-based climate action? Learning from decades of female participation in an infant and maternal health system in Indonesia

Low female participation in community-based forest actions for mitigating and adapting to climate change (i.e., “forest climate actions”) increases gender inequalities and could reduce intervention effectiveness. Factors preventing women’s participation in forestry are well-researched, while factors motivating women’s participation is comparatively lacking. We fill this gap by (i) identifying women’s motivations to participate in communal action in other domains; (ii) analyzing to what extent these motivations exist in forest climate actions; (iii) suggesting how forest climate actions can better motivate women’s participation. Our paper presents an original mixed methods approach using data from two studies in different domains (health vs. forestry), objectives (feasibility study vs. impact evaluation), and data collection approach (key informant interviews vs. standardized surveys). Women’s motivations to participate in Posyandu (Pos Pelayanan Terpadu), a state-run infant and maternal health service system operated mostly by female collaborators (Kader), were contrasted with conditions shaping women’s participation in forest climate actions. Data were collected in the same period (2013–2014) in forested rural areas of Indonesia. We find women are motivated by the following values they find lacking in forest climate actions: (1) altruistic values: improving other’s well-being through Posyandu, vs. limited benefits from forest climate actions; (2) social capital: enhancing own and family’s social status by participating in Posyandu, vs. limited social enhancement through forest climate action; and (3) identity enhancement: increasing own pride and competence when supporting an established organization like Posyandu, vs. no equivalent organization for women in forest climate action. What would attract women to forest climate action? We suggest (1) tangible benefits from forest climate action for women and rural communities, so that women see forests are worth fighting for; (2) respected roles for women in public spheres related to forest climate actions; and (3) self-enhancement opportunities through village-level organizations and good employment opportunities aligned with forest climate actions

Compliance of smallholder timber value chains in East Java with Indonesia's timber legality verification system

The Indonesian Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK) has been developed primarily to address illegal logging in Indonesia, and is licensed under the European Union's Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan. While SVLK was catalysed by concerns about the legality of wood originating from natural forests, it applies to all wood production in Indonesia, including smallholders harvesting planted trees. This study investigates SVLK implementation in value chains originating from smallholder forests planted on private land in East Java Province, where these forests are important assets for both farmers and the forest industries. It follows value chains for two manufactured wood products, blockboard and plywood. There are specific SVLK requirements for each value chain actor, other than the market brokers in these chains. Results reveal the limitations of SVLK architecture in relation to smallholder value chains, variation in compliance practices, and points of ‘illegalisation’ and legalization within the value chains. The blockboard and plywood products from each case study chain claimed SVLK compliance. However, only one of the two case study chains for each product was compliant up to the blockboard or plywood manufacturing stage; and no distinction was made at this stage between SVLK-compliant and non-compliant wood. Consequently, none of the final products from any case study chain are SVLK-compliant. These results illustrate the challenges of designing and implementing timber legality systems for smallholder value chains, and suggest areas of focus to improve SVLK for smallholder value chains

'Forests and carbon: The impacts of local REDD+ initiatives

International audience• Only a few studies assess the impacts of local REDD+ initiatives on forests, due to the financial, methodological, data and political challenges of implementing rigorous impact evaluations.• Local REDD+ projects and programmes frequently include a mix of interventions, i.e., incentives, disincentives and enabling measures. Disincentives are used to reduce deforestation, and incentives – either conditional on results or not – are used to help minimise the trade-offs between carbon and well-being outcomes. • The scarce evidence that is available on local REDD+ outcomes shows modestly encouraging results for forest conservation and carbon stock enhancement. Three projects using conditional incentives showed positive results for forests, through reducing the negative impacts of smallholder agriculture and firewood collection

The Effect of Indonesia’s Economic Crisis

association of 41 public and private sector donors that supports a network of sixteen international agricultural research institutes, CIFOR being the newest of these. The Group was established in 1971. The CGIAR Centers are part of a global agricultural research system which endeavours to apply international scientific capacity to solving of the problems of the world’s disadvantaged people. CIFOR CIFOR was established under the CGIAR system in response to global concerns about the social, environmental and economic consequences of loss and degradation of forests. It operates through a series of highly decentralised partnerships with key institutions and/or individuals throughout the developing and industrialised worlds. The nature and duration of these partnerships are determined by the specific research problems being addressed. This research agenda is under constant review and is subject to change as the partners recognise new opportunities and problems