1
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
Table of Contents
1. Project Objectives and Activities
2. Identify Target Groups/Communities
3. Description of Project Site
4. Ownership of Carbon Rights and Land Tenure
5. Description of the Applicant Organisation
and Proposed Governance Structure
6. Community-led Design Plan Submitted
7. Additionally Analysis
8. Compliance with regulations and Notification
of Relevant Bodies
9. Sources of Start-up Funding Identified
10. Annex 1: Area Map
2
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
Project Title
The Bujang Raba Community
PES Project
Project Location (country,
province, district)
Bungo District, Jambi Province,
Indonesia
Project Coordinator and
Contact Details
The Indonesian Conservation
Community (KKI Warsi)
Jl. Inu Kertapati No. 12
Kelurahan : Pematang Sulur,
Kecamatan : Telanaipura
Jambi - 36124
Tel 62-741-66695
www.warsi.or.id
Summary of Proposed
Activities
To support the capacity of 5
forest-dependent communities
in protecting their 7.292 ha
conservation forest in the face
of rapid land use change
driven by palm oil and rubber
expansion.
Summary of Proposed
Target Groups
5 communities border the
Village Forest (Hutan Desa).
The communities are ethnic
Jambi people who have
resided in the area for
centuries.
3
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
1. Project objectives and activities
The goal of the Bujang Raba PES project is to conserve
7.292 ha of tropical montane forest which hosts high
biodiversity, provides important hydrological functions,
and offers non-timber forest products (NTFPs) that
contribute to household incomes.
Activities will seek to reduce extractive pressures on this
forest by building the capacity of the newly-established
forest management council and improving community
livelihoods through NTFP trade development.
The forest management group will conduct forest
patrols to monitor for incursions by loggers or corporate
plantations, conduct enhanced fire prevention
activities, and oversee assisted natural regeneration
and enrichment where appropriate.
Livelihood development activities will include boosting
extant production of NTFPs such as bamboo, rattan,
cinnamon, cardamom, honey, and others through
trade groups and market outreach; this will include
explicitly-targeted support for women’s groups. The
project will seek to encourage added-value products
that can be marketed domestically. Lastly, activities will
push capacity building for farmer’s groups and rubber
cultivators.
4
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
Other complimentary activities focus on strengthening
the existing women’s cooperatives, such as the credit
union. This type of cooperative is very helpful as an
alternative solution for survival when they face finance
problems, especially in times of food shortages or other
urgent situations. This results in livelihood benefits, with
participants not tied to high rates of interest. Moreover,
setting up the water wheel generator and micro hydro
generator to provide electricity for villagers will be part
of the development of the program in the future. Thus,
the potency of livestock in the village will be maximized
by establishing renewable energy in the form of biogas.
Though Warsi has been intermittently active in the area
since 2000, the new Plan Vivo program activities began
on January 1st 2014.
2. Identify target groups and communities
The project area contains 1,259 households residing in 5
villages that make up a larger traditional (adat) village.
Consequently, the project communities have a historic
familial relationship and share common ancestry. The
communities belong to the Jambi ethnic group that
has inhabited the region for centuries. They possess
traditional leaders and institutions, as well as newly-
formed organization to support governance and
5
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
development. Traditional institutions include the newly
formed Village Forest Councils that supervise each
hamlet’s community forest (Hutan Desa). In addition, a
Customary Forest Council is responsible for the
customary forest (Hutan Adat) that lies outside the
13,000 ha project area and is not connected to the
Plan Vivo effort.
Other traditional organizations include a women’s
saving-and-loan association that manages not only
cash, but other goods including seeds, organic fertilizer,
rice, tractors, and other farming equipment. There is
also a cooperative labour society (gotong royong) for
agricultural activities, a water wheel user group that is
now producing electricity, and a chicken-sharing
association that produces poultry for traditional
ceremonies.
Newer institutions include a micro-hydropower user
association, a women’s handicraft group, and a tree
nursery that raises seedlings for agroforestry (dragon’s
blood, agar wood, cocoa, cardamom, rubber, and
other crops). Local women have also formed a
number of cooperatives (koperasi Dahlia) with assets
valued at approximately $6,600. Institutional capacity
has developed with Warsi’s support, with trainings
seeking to develop skills for forest protection,
6
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
restoration, and monitoring. Training programs have
also benefited production of women’s handicrafts.
The potential for eco-tourism in the area is very high
due to the pristine nature of the old growth forests and
the rich mega-fauna in the area. New skills for eco-
tourism management will be included in the project.
3. Description of proposed project area
Physical Environment
Bujang Raba is located in central Sumatra in close
proximity to Bukit Barisan and Kerinci Seblat National
Parks (see Appendix 1). The area is largely designated
as remaining lowland tropical forest, though the
landscape is also mountainous. The project is in the
upper watershed of the Batang Hari, Jambi’s largest
river. The Bujang Raba ecosystem is rich in flora and
fauna and also provides an important wildlife corridor
from Kerinci Seblat National Park to Bukit Dua Belas
National Park, part of a larger eco-region containing
Bukit Tiga Puluh, Tesso Nilo, and Berbak National
Parks. Bujang Raba’s landscape is also the traditional
homeland of the Orang Rimba, a major indigenous
tribe in Jambi Province.
7
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
This project seeks to be a model CBFM initiative based
on local wisdom and indigenous institutions, supported
by new technical capacities. Bujang Raba’s ecosystem
is a crucial provider of environmental services,
sustaining supplies of clean water, renewable energy,
fresh air, and offers an idyllic landscape to tempt visitors
seeking natural surroundings.
Land use in the area is focused on wet rice cultivation
in the fertile valley bottoms along streams and rivers.
Settlements are located next to these rice paddies at
slightly higher elevation. Continuing up the watershed
one finds mixed forest gardens sustaining a mix of
annual and perennial crops amongst fruit and timber
trees. Above these tree garden systems, agroforestry
plots produce rubber, cocoa, cardamom, and other
tree-based cash crops. On the steeper upper slopes of
the area, the community safeguards natural forests for
their hydrological services – keeping the hydropower
wheels turning and the rice paddies properly
inundated.
Three threats to the traditional system have triggered
rapid deforestation in the area over the past twenty
years. First came the logging concession (Hak
Pengusahaan Hutan, HPH) that entered the area in
1996, removing high value timber and opening the
once dense forest canopy. Erosion from the steep
8
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
hillsides filled the once-clear rivers with sediment. The
second driver of deforestation has been the conversion
of natural forest to oil palm (kelapa sawit) plantations.
This has resulted in a shift in the area’s micro-climate to
dryer and hotter weather, disrupting conditions for local
flora and fauna as these mono-culture plots
increasingly dominate the landscape. The most recent
threat is from coal mining which has brought
deforestation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss.
Socio-Economic Environment
Jambi households in the project area are primarily
dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. Rubber
has replaced more traditional crops as the village
economy is increasingly linked to markets and cash
transactions. However, wet rice farming remains
important for supplying local families with staple food;
produce from home gardens and mixed forest gardens
complement a diverse and nutritious diet (rambutan,
durian, peppers, beans, leafy vegetables, etc.).
Average daily income is stated to be around $1.3 – 1.8
USD1, which is the major source of income from
agroforest. Other sources of income are from rice fields
and agriculture. For Senamat Ulu village, the average 1 Based on consultation with ICRAF. The average exchange rate in 2013 was USD $1 = IDR 9 ,435
9
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
total income per year per household was the highest;
the major source of income was rubber agroforest
(75.75%). Other sources of income were rice field,
labour, other agriculture, entrepreneurial (storekeeping,
trading, etc) and others. For Laman Panjang village,
the major source of income was Rubber agroforest
(62.7%) and rice fields (13.6%). Other sources of income
were other agriculture (6.6%), forest products (4.02%),
labour (4.0%), entrepreneurial work and others. For Buat
village, the major sources of income were Rubber
agroforest (62.8%). Other sources of income were
entrepreneurial work (7.9%), professional (7.2%), other
agriculture (6.2%), forest product (5.5%) and others. For
Sungai Telang village, the major sources of income
were Rubber agroforest (52.6%) and rice fields (14.4%).
Other sources of income were entrepreneurial work
(7.7%), other agriculture (7.0%), forest products (5.7%)
and others. (ICRAF, 2013, Baseline data and household
survey Bungo District, Jambi Province)
Most families reside in sturdy wooden houses. The
introduction of micro-hydro technology has allowed
the villages to partially electrify, providing new
opportunities for education and enterprise alike.
Formal government structures are absent from the
area, although some state-sponsored development
10
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
activities are conducted periodically. This project seeks
to improve connectivity between community resource
management plans and state development activities
through a collaborative and participatory planning
process.
4. Ownership of carbon rights and land
tenure
While the traditional adat communities involved in this
project have historically claimed and managed the
area as their ancestral domain, the Ministry of Forest
(MoF) has also labelled it as Protected Forest under
state jurisdiction. Since the MOF has not had the
capacity to effectively manage this remote forest
region, the area was exposed to drivers of
deforestation and subject to leasing for commercial
purposes. In 2002, with the assistance of Warsi, the
communities requested that their community
management rights be recognized by the MoF. In 2009,
the first of the 5 villages was granted special status by
the MoF, making it the first Village Forest (Hutan Desa)
in Indonesia.2
2 The Hutan Desa scheme was introduced by Regulation of the Minister of Forestry No. 49 in 2008. The scheme allows rural communities to secure legal rights to management, conservation, and utilization in their traditional forest area.
11
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
Hutan Desa status eventually granted 35-year
renewable management rights to all 5 project hamlets,
recognizing their claim to their traditional forest land.
This was a momentous achievement, but only the
beginning of formalized conservation activities. Upon
granting of Hutan Desa status, the local government
takes on a hands-off approach, leaving the community
to forge its own path both logistically and financially.
Without funding and support, the development and
implementation of the community forest management
plan is difficult.
The greatest tenure threats come from the outside,
from large companies seeking to exploit local natural
resources for palm oil estates, coal mines, or rubber
plantations. The certification of this project by the
internationally-recognized Plan Vivo Standard will do
much to bolster our community-based conservation
and sustainable development efforts. The project may
attract the support of the national REDD+ agency that
is seeking to facilitate sub-national REDD+ projects
benefiting communities and protecting the
environment.3
3 Badan Pengelola REDD+ Indonesia is currently supporting NGO-led demonstration activities with funding through its FREDDI (Funds for REDD Indonesia) initiative, with a focus on scaling up successful models.
12
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
Aside from forest land, each household owns an
agroforestry plot averaging around 2 ha and 0.5 to 1
ha of rice paddy. Taking into account the home
gardens and other plots, land scarcity is not a problem
for virtually all households.
5. Description of applicant organization
and proposed governance structure
Warsi is the project developer and will take the lead
role in all interactions with Plan Vivo and other partners
over the next five years, during which time it intends to
promote self-determination among the participating
communities regarding management responsibility.
The persons that will be involved in the project directly
are Emmy Primadona, Project Coordinator, and Fredy
Yusuf, GIS Specialist. This team is under the supervision
of the organization’s Executive Director, Diki Kurniawan.
Warsi was first established in December 1991 as a
network agency using the name Yayasan Warung
Informasi Konservasi (The Conservation Information
Foundation) – abbreviated fondly as “Warsi.” It was
created through the efforts of 12 NGOs in four
provinces in southern Sumatra (West Sumatra, Jambi,
13
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
Bengkulu, and South Sumatra) to address mutual
concern about natural resource management and
community empowerment.
In July 2002, the Warsi Foundation became its own fully-
fledged non-profit organization known as Komunitas
Konservasi Indonesia (The Indonesian Conservation
Community) or KKI Warsi. Located in Jambi, the
organization is currently working all over Indonesia.
Taking “Conservation with Community” as its motto, KKI
Warsi supports development that fulfils present needs
without harming the livelihoods of the future.
Warsi offers extensive experience with community
development and natural resource management
projects. Warsi’s staff includes technical specialists in
GIS, remote sensing, forest inventory, and socio-
economic and livelihood development. Warsi also
retains excellent relationships with local and national
government agencies, allowing it to act as an effective
intermediary in resolving resource conflicts. We are also
pleased to facilitate the work of students and
researchers from Indonesia and abroad.
Our staff roster includes 76 people working at both our
central office in Jambi city as well as field offices in
towns across Jambi and West Sumatra. Warsi receives
14
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
support from major bilateral donors and foundations
and enjoys an excellent reputation as an organization
that develops high quality projects with communities.
In moving forward with this project, Warsi has received
guidance from Community Forestry International (CFI)
regarding their experience with the Plan Vivo Standard,
procedures, and marketing. Our staff are currently
working closely with CFI and Fauna and Flora
International (FFI) to develop MRV systems that meet
the Plan Vivo requirements.
Due to Warsi’s extensive experience supporting
community development over the past 23 years, we
are confident that we can meaningfully engage
communities in the design and implementation of this
REDD+/PES project. Warsi’s technical staff will assist
these communities in the development of carbon and
other environmental and socio-economic baseline
data and monitoring systems. We are currently
developing a financial management and benefit
sharing system for revenue generated by Plan Vivo
certificates.
Warsi will seek technical support from CFI and other
agencies within Indonesia as needed during the
implementation of the project.
15
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
6. Community-led design plan submitted
Over the past year, Warsi has facilitated a series of
meetings in the 5 participating hamlets to discuss the
goals, structure, and process for REDD+ project
development. The communities have expressed their
concern over climate change and are fully aware of
the need to conserve and protect their forests. In the
face of the growing threats to their forests, they have
expressed desire to initiate mitigation activities and
intensify protection activities.
Warsi is currently working with the communities to
develop a long term conservation strategy under the
Hutan Desa scheme that will help ensure forest
protection. The planning process will identify areas for
rehabilitation through agroforestry and enrichment
planting, organize natural forest patrols, and boost
income from NTFPs. The project is also working with the
communities to design a wildlife corridor and scale-up
renewable energy use to reduce firewood
consumption. During the first year of the project (2014),
these consultative and joint-planning activities will
produce detailed Plan Vivos for each community
under a broader landscape-level master plan.
7. Additionality analysis provided
16
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
The project is fully independent and not derived from
legislative action or projects from other sources. It is not
part of a broader economic development scheme.
Hutan Desa status is an important signifier of local
control over forest management, but threats to the
village forest remain potent. From within, livelihood
insecurity can diminish the effectiveness of
conservation activities if locals must turn to extraction
for income. Exogenous threats such as incursion by
illegal loggers or oil palm plantation developers are
another major issue. Financial benefits from Plan Vivo
certificate sales will ensure that local people have the
resources to fully protect their traditional forest area.
WARSI’s activities in this area are currently being
funded by RFN, but once this grant ends no further
funding sources will be available to assist these
communities. The local initiatives to protect the
remaining forest would not be possible without financial
support for this project. Palm oil concessions have
taken over lands neighbouring the Village Forest area
at a rapid rate and the community is threaten by the
potential for encroachment, but lacks the technical
skills and financial resources to effectively monitor forest
encroachment. Only with this proposed project will the
communities gain the capacity and finances to
17
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
establish a long term management system for the area
and coordinate effectively with local government.
The average Indonesian forest has a carbon stock
estimated at 115 tCO2/ha, which also reflects the
carbon stocking levels in the old growth forests within
the project area in the Bujang Raba Landscape. The
old growth covers 7,292 ha hectares which means that
the above ground total carbon stock is approximately
2 million tCO2. Initial estimates indicate that forest loss
in the surrounding district has occurred at a rate of 0.8%
percent per year over the past decade. The project
estimates it can reduce the deforestation rate in the
project area by up to 80%, which would result in a
greatly reduced deforestation rate of 0.16%. This would
avoid the emission of 13,832 tCO2 per year. The WARSI
team is currently establishing monitoring plots and
reviewing remotely sensed data to establish a more
precise baseline which will be provided in the Technical
Specifications and PDD.
8. Compliance with regulations and
notification of relevant bodies
The community is already certified as a Hutan Desa
under Indonesian law and has the approval of the
relevant bodies to participate in this program.
18
The Bujang Raba Community PES Project
9. Source of start-up funding identified
Warsi has secured financial support from the Rainforest
Foundation Norway (RFN) to design and develop this
Plan Vivo Project in 2014.
Map of Project Area and Surrounding Land Use: