Lesson Learn for U.K Government:

The Failure of Multi stakeholder Forestry I

Multi-stakeholder Forestry Program II plan might be run in minutes, but does it really learn from the failure on MFP I? This bilateral partnership between U.K. Government (through DFID – Department For international Development) and Indonesia (through Department of Forestry) asserted as the main cause of forest degradation and destruction escalation, not to mention the “sustainable forest conflicts”, clearly stated that it will contradictory with Sustainable Forestry Development Concept with its values such as; transparency, good governance, conflict resolution, and pro-poor and fair trade forest economic value

Adenelis have been incarcerated by illegal logging case in Jambi, conflict between communities from 3 districts in Jambi with PT. WKS – a Sinarmas group timber estate company, Kampar Peninsula and Siak conflict with RAPP and PT. Arara Abadi in Riau, or Riau illegal logging cases are some of the forestry conflict that stood still until present time. This fact indicates on how the U.K endorsement for forest could easily “dissipate” in some provinces which in fact chosen to be the center of program implementation.

In order to improve the community participation, considering with “poor society” economic enhancement in and around forest area through a non timber forest product (NTFPs) production increment and market access by MFP-DFID regional facilitators, at this time is in a hibernate condition after the MFP I ended. West Kutai – East Borneo’s rattan have been flooded, stuck of rattan and rubber product terminals in several distribution chain, Community Company have been collide caused by the lack of capital and less of management capacity, not to mention the establishment of co-financing organization in some region which in fact could lift the program operational cost are several evidence on how the improvement of people economical participatory (pro-poor) unit in MFP I.

In Forestry management enhancement, Department of Forest has brought the “old model” (colonial) system on forest management into first place. This really is deviated with decentralization spirit. Forest management Unit or KPH, a substance of PP. No. 3-2008 is a Department of Forestry strategic form to reinstate a forest and forest area management centralization. The implementation of regional autonomy system cause department of forestry lost its authority, but at this moment they have plan to prepare 5000 KPH Head Unit.

With the fact, there have been failures in Indonesia’s community forestry enhancement perspectives, U.K government through DFID should be more attentive and well-planned and persevere this Multi stakeholder Forestry Program by giving more pressure to Department of Forestry so that it would not choose “inappropriate” distribution institutions. And more important, it must aware to identify its connection with practice politic context in Indonesia. Minister of Forestry is a political position that could determine a better dynamic future for Indonesia’s Forestry.(tJong and Nino)