Kabar Itah

Edition 17 : February - April 2008

Editorial
As the shift in focus for exploration activities
shifts away from Central Kalimantan to East
Kalimantan where gold exploration in Jelai is
in full swing and looks very encouraging, and
where now we have five coal prospects in our
portfolio, the Yayasan is looking at how this
may affect our current activities in the upper
Kahayan area.
While currently there is no pressure to reduce
our community work, we have decided not to
expand at the same rate as we had planned.
With activities underway in 19 villages, we are
some distance removed from our goal of work-
ing in all 31 villages in the three subdistricts.
This would have made an excellent case study
for analysis of our development approach,
because it would have encapsulated three
complete subdistricts.
Nevertheless, there still is enough of an exam-
ple with the 19 villages to demonstrate an ap-
proach that could be applied on a wider scale,
both in Kalimantan and throughout Indonesia.
The key ingredients for wider application are
all there, with the three main players – com-
munities, local governments, and a resource-
based company – representing an institutional
microcosm that is replicated throughout Indo-
nesia, where in order for development to move
forward, revenue from resource companies is
used to assist government and communities in
improving conditions for normal life.
What the company and YTS have been able
to achieve is to implement a development
approach that brings all three key players to-
gether in a cooperative and mutually beneficial
partnership. Our intention is to start promoting
this arrangement to governments and other
resource companies because we believe it can
be readily adapted from place to place, and it
needs wider scale application to demonstrate
its viability.
This will be one of our major goals in 2008.
Bardolf Paul
Director
Community Development
The Musrenbang combines Bottom-up
and Top-down Planning
Representatives from 12 villages attend Musrenbang Kecamatan in Tumbang Miri
Musyawarah Rencana Pem-
bangunan (Musrenbang) is an
annual event where all relevant
stakeholders gather to discuss
development planning for the
following year. The process takes
place at different levels, starting
from the village level in Janu-
ary, subdistrict level in February,
district level in March, and prov-
ince level in April. Since 2006,
YTS has been actively involved
in the Musrenbang process at
each level.
As one of the stakeholders, YTS
has assisted in implementing
the bottom-up planning process
through a participatory approach
in 19 villages in three subdistricts
within the upper Kahayan River
area. The approach uses the
PRA methodology to determine
the detailed social-economic con-
dition in each village. All villagers
contribute to the analysis, and
the result will form the basis for
developing the master document,
the Village Development Plan,
also known as RPJM Desa or
simply RKP Desa.
The top-down planning approach
is developed at the top level,
without active involvement of
the community. This approach is
used by all levels of government
– central, province, and district.
For example, in Gunung Mas
District each department defines
a fixed budget, and this will limit
the types of programs that can
be proposed. The government
brings these two approaches
together in the Musrenbang pro-
cess, following laws No 32/2004
and PP 72/2005.
Bottom-up planning is imple-
mented at the village and subdis-
trict, whereas at the district and
province the bottom-up and top-
down approaches are combined.
The reason for this arrangement
is because at district and prov-
ince levels each department
continued to page 2
 Community Development
from page 1
develops a Work Plan using the top-
down planning approach. During the
Work Plan Forum, the departments
listen to planning presentations from
subdistricts and villages. They then
adjust their work plans in response to
what they hear in the presentations.
The village inputs are reflected in
the work plans that are reviewed at
the big Musrenbang meeting in the
District. Each element in the work
plan is reviewed to determine what to
include or eliminate.
The final results of this meeting are
documented in the Regional Devel-
opment Work Plan, which is pre-
sented in the Provincial Work Plan
and Musrenbang. Any proposals
that can’t be included in the district
budget will be proposed again at the
province level. However, at higher
levels of the Musrenbang, proposals
are not reviewed item by item, only
as a summary of all the activities
within each subdistrict, district,
or province.
Technical Support
New Technical Handbooks for Villagers
One of YTS’s central activities is helping to arrange the involvement of local
experts with groups of villagers who are keen to improve production levels
and quality in their livelihood activities. This capacity building process currently
focuses on rubber cultivation, pig, chicken and cow rearing, and upland rice
cultivation, which is expected to help improve the economy of the village,
especially for each household.
To support and complement the training and coaching by local experts, YTS has
developed a series of information handbooks – one for each topic. This reading
material was developed together with the experts and addresses key issues that
villagers face in their production activities. Much of the information comes from
existing resources, such as publications on animal husbandry, plantations, and
farming, and is combined with the
expert’s own field experience.
The handbooks are not only useful
in the group training, but also are
handy reference guides when
the training is put into practice.
They tend to be shared widely
throughout the community.
More work currently is underway
to improve the contents, and to
make them easier for villagers
to follow. If anyone is interested
in obtaining a copy of these
booklets, please contact us at New technical booklet for villagers
tambuhaksinta@gmail.com.

Profile: Local Expert from Posu shares His Experience

Martho
Unjung,
familiarly
known as
Bapak Sri was
born on 1
January 1971
in Karetau
Sarian, and
has been
living in
Local rubber expert Bp. Sri
Tumbang
Posu since 15 October 1996. He
started working with rubber in 2004,
following in the steps of his parents.
He belongs to the rubber interest
group ‘Puruk Ruap’, and is always
thirsty for any knowledge coming
from outside experts. Since 2006,
he has been actively involved in
all trainings facilitated by YTS. In
2006, the Puruk Ruap rubber group
focused on technical training for
rubber tree cultivation, including
seedling selection, spacing, planting,
fertilizing, grafting, tapping, and pest
and disease control.
In testing the effectiveness of the rec-
ommended tapping method, Bapak
Sri found that with the single cut
technique latex production was nor-
mal, the tree was not damaged, and
production lasted longer. With the
double cut technique there were good
results in the beginning, but after a
week latex production was reduced,
and compared with the single cut
method, the quality was lower. The
risk of damage to the tree was also
much higher.
In 2008, the Puruk Ruap group will
focus on growing seedlings. Bapak
Sri commented that in theory working
in a group should make things easier,
but in reality it can be very difficult,
as it requires good cooperation. He
is still excited with the training and
remains actively involved. This round
of training will cover land clearing,
seedbed preparation, roofing and
fencing, preparing and filling poly
bags, growing seedlings, moving
seedlings to poly bags, nursery
maintenance, fertilizing, pest and
disease control, and finally planting
out seedlings in the field.
”To prove I am seriously following
the expert’s suggestions, this year I
will plant my rubber trees with 3x7m
spacing and place all my efforts
into practicing the knowledge I got
from the training”, said Bapak Sri.
”I am very happy and excited about
the activities supported by YTS.
Previously, I had no idea about the
best way to plant a rubber tree, what
to do if my plantation is attacked
by pests and diseases, what is the
best way of tapping, how to grow my
own improved seedlings, and how
to develop cooperation in a group.
I now have answers to all of those
questions from the training and
from being actively involved in the
activities. I suggested to the other
rubber farmers that they change
their planting method, so that we all
can develop better results together.
I will continue to learn and share my
knowledge with other farmers who
may need it.”

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 Community Development
Poverty Alleviation a Major Concern in East Kalimantan
On April 3rd, the stage-banner at the
Provincial Musrenbang in Samarinda,
East Kalimantan declared poverty alle-
viation to be the government’s central
theme in 2008. In a brief presenta-
tion, the Head of Bulungan District
also confirmed that poverty reduction
is one of his district’s five priorities:
alongside economic, human resource,
and infrastructure development; as
well as aiming to improve the quality of
government.
Earlier, on March 25th, at the Dis-
trict Musrenbang, the District Head
of Bulungan had noted the need for
capacity-building at the village level,
in order that better use is made of the
funds about to be distributed to the
villages. Evidently, the government
understands that simply handing-out
money will not address the underlying
Poverty weighs heaviest on women like these in Bunau Village, East Kalimantan
causes of poverty.
Furthermore, he asked his staff to be in the Musrenbang, and top-down and needs of village communities can
more open to assistance from outside; planning in the Regional Work Units be identified and addressed, and real
such as to the community develop- (SKPD). However, these two systems aspirations understood.
ment work of YTS. He commended are poorly integrated at present, as not Poverty reduction was thus a recur-
YTS for its efforts in Central Kaliman- even the Subdistrict Heads are invited rent theme, at every level of the
tan and said that the District welcomed to attend the workshop (Forum SKPD) Musrenbang process. Although it was
our expertise. held prior to the District Musrenbang. expressed a little differently, it was
During the event, one Subdistrict Head a central concern during each of the
Without an exchange of information
complained that the District Service three village Musrenbang events that
between the Subdistrict and the Dis-
Departments impose inappropriate were facilitated by YTS this January.
trict level, the value of the Subdistrict
programs on Subdistrict staff with no For two-thirds of the community of
Musrenbang (held publicly in Sekatak
forward planning. He therefore recom- Sekatak experience poverty on a daily
for the first time this February) is in
mended that the various departments basis.
question, for the information gathered
visit the villages and conduct planning
from the village will have no impact on To address poverty, one must know
and information activities before com-
the District level planning. Perhaps the how to build human, social, and natu-
mencing their programs.
government should pay more attention ral capital, as well as financial capital.
In the Bulungan District, there is a to its own capacity to conduct bottom- Doubtless those who experience it
combination of bottom-up planning up planning; so that the real issues know best how to tackle it.

Technical Support: Villagers learn Financial Management Skills

As a follow up to the annual program review in Tumbang
Miri last December, representatives from each village
attended one of a series of training workshops to improve
the quality of financial management in the villages.
Three training events were organised in three villages in
two rivers. The villages were Tumbang Tajungan in the
Hamputung River, and Tumbang Sian and Mangkuhung
in the Miri River.
From each village in the area, the VMG Head, the
Treasurer, and the Village Head came for the training.
All participants learned about leadership, group
motivation, developing work plans, budgeting and
financial reporting, monitoring, and evaluation.
Participants practiced creating an activity budget using
the village plan as a basis, and also financial reporting.
The main constraint in the training was the variation
in educational background among the participants. To
optimize understanding, the training methodology was
kept relatively simple. Follow up coaching will ensure that
each management group will be able to perform their
tasks properly after the training.

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 Technical Support

New Round of Technical Support in Five Villages

In a new round of technical support agreed plan
to villagers, YTS is assisting rubber and contract,
cultivation and pig rearing activities in
members of the
five villages in the Kahayan Hulu Utara group receive
subdistrict. This support follows a step-
hands-on train-
wise procedure: ing and advice
on improving
Group Formation: Villagers form
production
Interest Groups consisting of 10-15
techniques. At
members who agree to work together
the end of the
with an outside expert and support one
contract, group
another in improving their production
members and
techniques.
the manage-
Group Planning: Each group makes ment team
a simple plan of activities requiring evaluate the
outside technical support. The Village service provided
Management Group prepares a budget and use the les-
Rubber expert demonstrates the correct tapping method
based on the plan. sons learned to
improve the next
Scoping Visit: The outside expert changes in availability of the technical
round of training and assistance.
comes, has a look around, and final- experts. This affects the field training
izes the plan and contract agreement Payment: The management group schedule and arrangements. We need
with the villagers. During the process, coordinates the activities and makes to find more local experts to step in
the expert becomes familiar with local payments according to the schedule whenever these situations arise. An-
conditions and the people he or she of visits. other issue is conflict between villag-
will be working with.
There are a number of constraints with ers’ field activities, such as harvesting
Group Training: According to the above procedure, the main one being rice, and the training program.

Workshop: Protecting the Interests of Dayak Communities
In mid-March, YTS attended a work-
shop on ‘Strategic Planning’ in Muara
Teweh, on the Barito River. The
event was hosted by GEBRAK, the
Kalimantan Indigenous Communities
Empowering Movement. Altogether,
40 people took part, coming from
16 institutions mainly related to the
Credit Union (CU) movement.
The workshop opened by present-
ing the roadmap for the CU and
GEBRAK in Central Kalimantan. The
participants had an active discussion
on rights, Dayak land and customary
law, and the government’s planta-
tion policies. This was followed by a
vigorous brainstorming session on
GEBRAK’s three year strategic plan
for empowering Dayak communities.
In conclusion, the workshop agreed
that in order to protect the interests
of Dayak communities, they need to
map out Dayak territory, rights, and
customary law; and to encourage for-
Agenda for 2nd Quarter
mal acceptance of these by making May
village regulations and hosting semi- • Training on rubber, pigs, fish &
nars. Everyone agreed that GEBRAK chickens in Kalteng
was an empowering organization, not
• Media design training
a political organization, but cadres in Palangka Raya
are encouraged to be active in the
• Initial visit of experts to Kaltim
political arena and to push for more
locally-oriented policies. June
• Rubber plantation maintenance
YTS suggested that members of
in Kalteng
GEBRAK become actively involved
in government development planning • Training on upland rice and chicken
through the Musrenbang process, raising in Kaltim
as this strategic mechanism has the July
potential to make government plans • Follow up training on rubber, pigs,
and policies more appropriate to chickens and upland rice in Kalteng
local needs and realities. However, and Kaltim
to increase its effectiveness, the
Musrenbang must have much more
involvement from non-governmental Kabar Itah
Kabar Itah is the quarterly newsletter of Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta
organizations. YTS also suggested (YTS), an affiliate of PT. Kalimantan Surya Kencana (KSK),
a mineral exploration company.
including technical training as part of Published by: Bank Accounts:
the ‘Rubber Farmer Union’ programs Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta
Jl. Rinjani No. 39 BNI 1946
that GEBRAK has in the Pulang Palangka Raya 73112 Palangka Raya Branch
Kalimantan Tengah-Indonesia Central Kalimantan
Pisau and Murung Raya districts. Telp. +62 (0536) 3237184 INDONESIA
Fax. +62 (0536) 3229187 Number 0114981608
Email:tambuhaksinta@gmail.com

4 Kabar Itah - Edition 17