Professional Documents
Culture Documents
APT Snapshot
APT Snapshot
QUARTERLY SNAPSHOT
SEPTEMBER 2018
INTRODUCTION
TFT’s Areal Prioritas Transformasi (APT), or Priority Transformation Areas in English programme is making
progress in achieving its 5 key objectives, which are:
• First, getting the local government involved as a key leader in economic and spatial planning
• Second, putting in place conditions that will stop deforestation inside oil palm concessions
• Third, preventing other deforestation outside of concessions due to oil palm plantation expansion by ensuring
community-based conservation that provides smallholders alternative livelihood options
• Fourth, strengthening current practices of mills and plantations to implement or strengthen NDPE
commitments
• Fifth, find innovative ways monitor and evaluate progress and impacts in real-time
The APT Programme is currently operating in three landscapes where Indonesia’s precious tropical forests are
threatened due to expanding agriculture, which is in turn critical to much needed economic development. This
includes two landscapes in Aceh, home to the Leuser Ecosystem and the last place on earth where orangutans,
tigers, elephants and rhinoceroses still co-exist. Below is a brief summary of progress TFT and the APT coalition
members have made since the last update in the areas where the APT Programme is being piloted.
In Southern Aceh:
• Identified two hotspots for targeted APT activity based on the completed spatial diagnostic
• Held a 2-day multi-stakeholder meeting in July with representatives of local civil society organisations and
target companies operating within these hotspots. Additionally, met with local CSOs around the concession
area of a key mill in the region
• Have planned follow-up work to pinpoint local drivers of deforestation, especially among smallholders, using
TFT’s independent monitoring initiative Kumacaya
In East Riau:
• Completed a basemap of the APT area using Starling. Currently conducting analysis of Starling data and cross-
referencing with plantation and concessions data to identify forest cover
2
PROGRESS AGAINST WORKPLAN OBJECTIVES
Objective Activity Description Status
Aceh Tamiang
Engage with relevant district agencies to introduce
1.1 Complete
the APT approach and spatial diagnostic result
1.2 Sign MoU with district government Complete
Socialise the MoU to all relevant government agencies
1.3 Complete
and relevant stakeholders across the district
1. Sign an MoU with Workshop to introduce the landscape approach and
the district 1.4 sustainable natural resources management (involving Complete
governments and various stakeholders)
support Participate in the Bupati-led process to complete KLHS
government-lead 1.5 (Kajian Lingkungan Hidup Strategis/Strategic Complete
economic and Environmental Assessment Study)
spatial planning Complete; RPJMD has been
processes Participate in the Bupati-led process to complete passed. TFT will follow up
1.6
RPJMD during its implementation
phase.
On track; work ongoing. TFT
participated a first meeting 27
Participate in the Bupati-led process to review spatial
1.7 September 2018, and will
planning (RTRW Kabupaten)
support the RTRW process with
data from Starling.
PT Semadam engaged. The
Engage concessions with forest and evaluate their other concession owner, Wajar
current LUP progress to meeting the requirements of Corpura, is currently not
2.1
the HCSA (inclusive of HCS, HCV, Enviro & Social operating in the region due to
2. Avoiding Study, Part. Mapping etc) conflict over territory. TFT is
deforestation inside keeping track of the situation.
concessions Work is ongoing at PT
(Coalition) Conduct assessments that will support the company Semadam, with some delays
2.2
to meet the requirements of the HCSA methodology due to conflict at the mill over
employee wages
Establish a simplistic land use plan exercise to support
2.3 Future work (planned for 2019)
the target concessions with a full ICLUP in the future
Selection of areas for "reducing deforestation through
3.1 Complete
smallholder forest guardian model"
Consultation with local communities to:
a) introduce the APT approach and spatial diagnostic
3. Avoiding 3.2 result and seek inputs on next steps. On track; work ongoing
deforestation by b) understand the drivers of deforestation
smallholders c) identify possible opportunities for interventions
(Brands) Rapid Land Tenure Study on currently forested land
3.3 Complete
and Rapid Livelihoods Assessment
Establish an agreement with the community to keep
3.4 On track; work ongoing
the forest standing
3.5 Support implementation Future work (planned for 2019)
3
Objective Activity Description Status
4
Objective Activity Description Status
5
KEY ACTIVITIES BY LANDSCAPE
ACEH TAMIANG
TFT and the Bupati have been seeking ways to
collaborate in order to reduce deforestation,
KEY CHALLENGES
including through support for the region’s economic
Poverty alleviation is the Aceh Tamiang Bupati’s
stability and livelihood improvements. Involving civil
highest priority, which has been emphasised in
society organisations (CSOs) and communities from
multiple meetings. Palm oil is a key source of jobs,
the region will also be critical to success.
but workers are frequently temporary and/or paid
below minimum wage. Poor plantation management
In April 2018, TFT and the Aceh Tamiang District
leading to low on-farm yield drives encroachment
Government signed a Memorandum of
into protected forests.
Understanding, agreeing to cooperate to:
Government action is also needed to improve • Prepare a spatial plan balancing social, economic
infrastructure and to support farmers with education, and environmental functions;
replanting, and other activities. Without poverty • Prepare an economic development plan that
alleviation measures in place it will be difficult to fully protects community livelihoods as well as the
implement environmental protection measures environment;
without risking social unrest. • Manage natural resources so as to protect the
Leuser Ecosystem;
Some economic development funding has been • Improve local capacity for responsible natural
provided through the national Palm Oil Plantation resource management;
Fund Management Agency, primarily to support • Monitor and evaluate implementation
replanting of palm oil plantations large enough to
provide adequate livelihoods. For those on smaller
plots, seeking income via other commodities – such
as corn, banana, oranges, durian, or duku – is
important. In all cases, improved on-farm
productivity is critical to poverty alleviation, as are
alternative sources of income, such as livestock,
fishing, or community gardens.
1. GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT
The Bupati has identified the following key priority
challenges in the region:
• Rubber plantations need to be managed more
Figure 2 Representatives of TFT and the Aceh Tamiang
intensively; farmers need training to better Government at the MoU signing, April 2018
manage plantations
• Palm plantations have very low productivity, yet This MoU paved the way for collaborative work to
they cover more than 60% of the landscape truly begin. In the months since the MoU’s signing,
(approximately 80,000 to 90,000 hectares). progress is already underway.
• Productivity in smallholder plantations is
particularly low, at only 1-1.5 In July, TFT met with several government agencies –
tonnes/hectare/month, due to aging trees, lack including the Departments of Agriculture, Livestock
of support, and other factors. Many smallholders and Plantations, and of Environmental Services – and
are expanding into forests while productivity key CSOs to introduce the MoU to key players and
remains low lay the foundation for achieving its desired
outcomes.
6
• Detailed maps of Aceh Tamiang through our
Starling satellite mapping tool
• Analysis of those maps by TFT’s GIS team
• Identification of strategic issues through TFT’s
experience implementing NDPE commitments
• Socialisation of the importance of NDPE
commitments to Aceh Tamiang’s long-term
economic and environmental sustainability
The first objective of the APT project is to contribute The KLHS was completed on 30 June 2018.
to local governmental spatial planning processes by
promoting integration of livelihood resilience and TFT also contributed to the development of the
preservation of key ecosystems into regional Rencana Pembangunan Jangka Menengah Daerah
development plans. (RPJMD), or the regional mid-term development
plan. The RPJMD incorporates the lessons from the
As part of this work, TFT helped guide the “Kajian KLHS, as well as strategies to alleviate poverty and
Lingkungan Hidup Strategis (KLHS)” – or, Strategic address other social and economic issues in the
Environmental Assessment Study – in Aceh Tamiang. region. At present, the Aceh Tamiang RPJMD has
been completed and was recently ratified by the
Indonesian national government.
7
Figure 5 TFT participating in the RPJMD drafting process
Figure 6 Representatives of TFT and PT Semadam, July 2018
2. STOPPING DEFORESTATION During a follow-up visit on 7-8 August, TFT and
Protecting the Leuser Ecosystem includes halting
producer members (including Wilmar and GAR)
deforestation inside concessions abutting or
visited Semadam’s palm and rubber concessions as
containing intact forests.
well as villages surrounding those concessions.
During the visit, Semadam confirmed it would
Significantly, TFT’s engagement with the Bupati
protect the 200 hectares of forest in its concession,
seems to have already inspired positive change in
home to several rare primates and Sumatran tigers.
this direction – in June 2018, the Bupati issued an
The company also promised to protect an additional
instruction to cease granting new palm oil
1,500 hectares of land located inside its concessions.
concessions and critically examine existing ones
from a perspective of maximising economic and
environmental outcomes.
On 18 and 27 July 2018, TFT had follow-up meetings Civil society: a key piece of the process
with PT Semadam and formally agreed to
collaborate on future work. The next steps are to TFT also recognises the critical role of other non-
first sign an MoU formalising that collaboration, and profit organisations – in particular, local CSOs that
then to carry out an assessment of High Carbon have been active in the region far before TFT
Stock areas in Semadam’s concession. became involved – in stopping deforestation, in
8
supporting community livelihoods, as well as in and TFT values both their long experience and their
monitoring of NDPE commitment implementation. expertise. The CSOs feel that TFT provides a useful
bridge between them, the government, and
They have also been important sources of companies.
information, guiding TFT on which issues require
particular attention. 3. SMALLHOLDER LIVELIHOODS
The third pillar of the APT strategy is to find
TFT has, for example, worked with NGOs Lembah alternative livelihood options for smallholders. TFT
Tari and Kempra to investigate illegal logging and believes that forests are vulnerable to smallholders
other drivers of deforestation in 3 villages: Baling because smallholders are vulnerable to economic
Karang, Batu Bedulang and Krueng Sikajang. Kempra and environmental shocks. If we can find ways to
also alerted TFT to issues in Tamiang’s coastal areas protect farmers from threats to their livelihoods, this
where forests are being cleared to produce charcoal. will reduce economic pressure to deforest.
TFT additionally maintains a close relationship with Figure 9 TFT and farmers discuss options during the beginning of
Forum Konservasi Leuser (FKL) and Hutan, Alam dan a Rapid Livelihood Assessment, August 2018
Lingkungan Aceh (HAkA; Forest, Nature and
Environment of Aceh). These CSOs were some of the
first involved in protection of the Leuser Ecosystem,
9
NEXT STEPS Around the Trumon Wildlife Corridor, smallholders
TFT is now planning trainings to strengthen the are a source of deforestation, including in the Rawa
capacity of companies in Aceh Tamiang to Singkil Wildlife Reserve. TFT’s diagnostic report
implement their No Deforestation, No development estimated that as 84 percent of deforestation
on Peat, and No Exploitation (NDPE) commitments. actually happened outside of concession areas in the
TFT is also planning to continue to work with the Southern Aceh landscape, meaning there will need
Bupati and relevant stakeholders to find innovative to be an engagement strategy with mills that are
ways of monitoring and evaluating progress as the purchasing from small-scale farms as well as with PT
regional economic and environmental development Laot Bangko.
plan goes through approval and begins
implementation. TFT Starling data has also demonstrated widespread
deforestation both inside and outside concession
Aceh Tamiang CSOs FLK and HAkA, along with the areas in the region, totalling 6,339 hectares between
Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) have also invited January 2017 and mid-2018.
TFT to a meeting on 17 October 2018 to discuss
shared roles to achieve the most impact moving TFT has already met with several civil society
forward in Aceh Tamiang. organisations operating in this region. These CSOs
told TFT that an absence of management by Laot
Bangko has been responsible for much deforestation
SOUTHERN ACEH in the area, as have smallholder farmers. This
confirms TFT’s own findings; TFT will further
investigate the situation.
1. GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT
TFT has already engaged with district governments
in both Subulussalam and Aceh Selatan, which abut
the Southern Aceh APT. TFT is intending to move
forward with contribution to the KLHS and RPJMD of
each of these districts, as has been done in the Aceh
Tamiang region. The governments have been open
Figure 10 Deforestation in Southern Aceh to work with TFT, though both Aceh Selatan and
Subulussalam have gone through elections recently
KEY CHALLENGES and will have new Bupatis beginning in 2019. The
In a spatial diagnostic completed in October 2017, APT team is planning to formalise work with these
TFT identified two critically important areas of work district governments, but is strategically reviewing
in Southern Aceh: the area around PT Laot Bangko, options for that formalisation that helps ensure the
and the area around the Trumon Wildlife Corridor. three district governments are aligned in terms of
needs and aims in the region, and that they all
PT Laot Bangko has over 2,500 hectares of forested understand TFT’s potential role in the region.
area in its concessions. In addition, both chosen focal
areas are comprised of fertile lowland, which makes In the meantime, work to understand how to better
them both ideal for palm oil expansion and key halt deforestation is continuing in direct
migration corridors for elephants. Expanding palm collaboration with companies and civil society
cultivation has caused human-wildlife conflict. organisations.
10
2. STOPPING DEFORESTATION deforestation, especially among smallholders, and to
PT Laot Bangko in Subulussalam is a large plantation assess the impact of this deforestation on wildlife.
crossing 3 sub-districts and containing large amounts One proposed follow-up workstream is the creation
of forested land in its concessions. Oil sourced from of a community-based conservation program to help
PT Laot Bangko makes its way into the refineries of secure forest borders and areas for reforestation.
the coalition members. There also may be issues of
PT Laot Bangko’s concession overlapping community While TFT has already met with several local CSOs in
land. TFT is researching possible interventions here. Southern Aceh, there is a desire to deepen
Stopping deforestation in the Southern Aceh APT will engagement in the future and ensure that local civil
require engaging and involving PT Laot Bangko in society expertise and experience is incorporated into
land-use planning. In July 2018, TFT began this any land-use planning process. TFT views the
critical engagement process in a multi-stakeholder support of CSOs in the region as equally important to
meeting involving PT Laot Bangko along with local the cooperation of companies and government
NGOs and government agencies, including Forum leadership.
Konservasi Leuser (FKL) and Balai Konservasi Sumber
Daya Alam Aceh (BKSDA, the Aceh Natural Resources EAST RIAU
Conservation Center).
1
For more about Kumacaya, see its website at:
http://kumacaya.org/
11
CONCLUSIONS
NEXT STEPS
In order to complete the spatial diagnostic,
IMPORTANT PROGRESS; FUTURE WORK
additional analysis needs to be carried out to
Aceh Tamiang was TFT’s earliest foray into APT work,
understand where deforestation is happening – for
and results have already demonstrated that by
example, whether it is inside or outside forest areas
working together it is possible to go farther and
and/or concessions. This can help indicate who are
achieve more.
the driving actors of deforestation.
The experience in Aceh Tamiang is now being used
Once the spatial diagnostic is complete, engagement
to inform ongoing work in Southern Aceh and
with identified stakeholders and the collaborative
planned future work in East Riau.
development of a workplan can begin.
TFT is also exploring ways to integrate findings from
TFT believes there is enormous potential to achieve
other TFT initiatives operating in the region into its
true transformation in these regions with the help of
APT diagnostic work and eventual workplan.
coalition members and the involvement of district
Notably, there have been two Rurality2 projects
governments, civil society and other key
working with smallholder communities in Riau, as
stakeholders. As we look in particular towards 2019,
well as two Kumacaya projects with local civil
we foresee scaling up lessons learned to have an
society. Rurality is TFT’s programme to improve
ever-wider impact.
smallholder resilience.
We would like to thank the recipients of this report
for their continued support – both financial and
operational – as we work together to map out a
better future for conservation.
2
For more about Rurality, see its website at:
http://rurality.org/
12
13