Jakarta. A recent forum recently urged a better multi-stakeholder collaboration to engage communities in managing local forests, aligning with Indonesia's climate goals. 

The government has allocated 12.7 million hectares of forests to be managed by local communities in a scheme better known as social forestry. According to Econusantara chief executive officer, Zulfahmi, the government has issued social forestry permits that span 7.08 hectares as of this year.

“This is equivalent to 55 percent [of the target],” Zulfahmi, told a recent talk show on “How Local Communities Can Be Engaged in Nature Conservation and Climate Action” held by EB Impact, a Singapore-based non-profit organization, in Jakarta on Thursday.

Data showed that over 30 percent of Indonesian villages were surrounded by forests. Nine million people live near forests and rely on forestry resources. These forest-proximate communities hold huge potential in contributing to the government’s emission reduction target, according to Zulfahmi.

Even so, these communities still face some challenges. As people rely on forests for the resources, the forests have to cope with an increasing burden to help the communities be self-sufficient in rice, energy, water while helping cut emissions at the same time.

According to the Director of RECOFTC Indonesia, Gamma Galudra, communities today still have not made much use of forest resources to improve their welfare. Social forestry offers a great opportunity for forest-proximate villages to better their lives.

"Social forestry allows communities to have equal access to forest and land management. With the use of forest products that are in line with environmentally friendly sustainable products, the goal of environmental conservation can be in line with efforts to improve community welfare," Gamma said.

He then calls for a collaboration between social forestry groups and other stakeholders.

"Among them are companies, non-governmental organizations [NGOs] or credible campuses. This will pave the way for a better management of social forestry governance, especially in terms of improving human capital and institutional capacity as well as developing business aspects," said Gamma.

RECOFTC has partnered with pulp and paper giant APRIL through the development of a partnership model between community forests and companies for a sustainable supply chain. The partnership encompasses agroforestry development and capacity development for community forests and social forestry business groups. Gamma also hopes to collaborate with universities to produce evidence-based policies to influence the government.

"The results of these policies really increase community rights, and how communities can be involved in forest management. This collaboration with universities is to promote the protection of community rights and also promote forest management with the community,"Gamma told the conference.

Earthworm Foundation’s Forest Manager, Kasmujiono, also asked everyone to jointly protect the remaining forests. This is possible through programs that can accommodate the interests of many people such as the Community Conservation Program (CCP).

"We have been implementing this program in five villages -- in partnership with APRIL -- for almost three years. This community conservation program also has us collaborating with multiple parties,” Kasmujiono said.

"The CCP program is a good example to maintain the remaining natural resources in the forests around the village.”

The government has provided the opportunity for multi-party collaboration through the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry (Permen LHK) P9/2021 on Social Forestry Management. Involvement of stakeholders from local and national governments are essential to enhance acceleration, communication, and coordination between parties.

It is also important to encourage stakeholders to innovate in governance, area management, and social forestry business, with the aim of achieving sustainable social forestry program goals to improve community welfare, promote better forest environments, and reduce social conflicts.