An Overview
Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership February 2014
The Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership (KFCP) aims to demonstrate a credible, equitable and effective approach to REDD+ in Indonesia and inform implementation of REDD+ globally. It includes a suite of REDD+ interventions, including supporting institutional development, developing and trialing activities to cut emissions, and trialing a benefit sharing mechanism. The program also includes changing community behaviors around land use, fire management and peatland protection. KFCP is managed as four sub-activities: 1. Demonstrating emissions reductions from peat swamp forests 2. Demonstrating emissions estimation in peat swamp forests 3. Demonstrating benefit sharing 4. Supporting local REDD+ institutions. KFCP works with nine villages in 120,000 hectares of the former Mega Rice Project area in Kapuas district, Central Kalimantan1. Since KFCP started, the local government and
Ministry of Forestry have established a Forest Management Unit (KPHL) in the area. Other important institutions formed by KFCP include an inter-village communication forum (Forum Komunikasi Atar Desa, FKAD) and a district level working group (Pokja Kabupaten Kapuas). KFCP was scheduled to end in June 2013. The Indonesian and Australian governments agreed to extend some parts of the program for a further 12 months to June 2014. Activities for this additional year have been planned through consultation with national, provincial and local government and other stakeholders. Priority areas include: • Providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to all participating households—based on rubber and nonrubber agroforestry and beje (fishponds)—that can generate income while enhancing forest and peatland protection. • Supporting local institutions—including local government and village institutions—to take on sustainable forest and land management activities that can continue after the program ends.
In August 2013, two villages, Kalumpang and Mantangai Hulu, did not reach consensus on continuing participation in the KFCP program based on FPIC principles.
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• Sharing information and lessons learned with national and international stakeholders to improve REDD+ implementation into the future.
Emissions reductions from peat swamp forests Emissions reduction work has involved completing the following: • A detailed design for a canal blocking system in Block A including peat infill and palisade structures. Blocking of the first canal in the series (SPU-7) remains ready for financing and implementation. • Community-based blocking of small ditches (tatas) in Block E. • Community-based nursery development and reforestation of about 2,000ha. • A livelihoods program that is open to all households living in the area and which has included planting of more than 1000 ha of rubber and other livelihood activities. • Support to communities to develop village land use plans (pola tata desa) and agree village boundaries as a means of clarifying land status and ownership, in particular regarding state forest boundaries, community land and responsible peatland use (micro-level planning). • Strong community participation and transparency – see benefit sharing (below).
Emissions estimation in peat swamp forests Emissions estimation work has involved completing the following: • Establishment of a monitoring network for monitoring peat subsidence, hydrology and vegetation. A key goal of this network is to monitor and assess the impact of canal blocking across the landscape. • Completion of a monitoring protocol to support further work. • Completion of basic research on peatland and emissions (with Deltares, the University of Leicester, and RSS). These are being written up for publication. • Support to Central Kalimantan in the estimation of historic emissions (with INCAS).
Demonstrating benefit sharing Benefit sharing work has involved completing the following: • Development and use of a village agreement between KFCP and partner communities based on the principles of FPIC.
• Development and application of a safeguards framework and grievance mechanism. • Development of community capacity to plan and implement community-based programs for livelihoods, peatland rehabilitation and community development.
Supporting local REDD+ institution The following support has been provided: • The Kapuas Working Group has developed an understanding of REDD+. • Development of KPHL plans, and actions with communities for collaborative management of the peatland landscape. • Community forestry development including three applications for hutan desa. • Establishment of an inter-village forum (FKAD). • More recently, developing cooperation between communities, government and local NGOs working in the area.
Summary KFCP presents elements of an alternative community-led economic development model for peatland areas in line with REDD+ goals of economic growth, reducing emissions, protecting remaining peat forest and rehabilitating degraded peatlands. KFCP’s experience has yielded many lessons, in particular regarding key enabling factors for REDD+ such as land tenure and community land use planning, key tools such as village agreements and technical protocols, the importance of sequencing interventions, community ownership and participation. The peatland science and emissions estimation work has yielded a nationally and internationally important database and scientific findings on peat subsidence and other factors relating to peatland dynamics and emissions. The continuation of peatland monitoring and research by qualified research institutes in Indonesia is much needed. The Kapuas government aims to continue the work of KFCP as part of Indonesia’s REDD+ program beyond June 2014. KFCP is working to ensure that the assets and results of the program are fully owned and utilised by communities, local government and others with an interest and expertise to continue the long-term work on the management and rehabilitation, emissions reduction and green economic growth in Indonesia’s and Central Kalimantan’s peatlands.