Main Observations from Discussion of LAND Partnerships in Indonesia, 26-31 October 2003

Background

During the week 26-31 October, the International Land Coalition secretariat and its partner organization the Consortium for Agrarian Reform ( Konsortium Pembaruan Agraria or KPA) met with Indonesian policy actors and practitioners to discuss interest in enhancing multi-stakeholder initiatives that address land-related issues.  This memo reviews the outcomes of these discussions and the potential next steps that were suggested.

The International Land Coalition is a global alliance of UN and intergovernmental agencies, governments and civil society groups.  Founded in 1995, its mission is to work together with the rural poor to increase their secure access to natural resources, especially land, and to enable their direct participation in policy- and decision-making processes that affect their livelihoods at local, national, regional and international levels.

In response to interest from its partners, in 2002 the Coalition launched a new initiative, LAND Partnerships, at WSSD in Johannesburg.  LAND Partnerships aims to enhance national-level collaboration within and among different stakeholders - including national governments, civil society, international agencies and the private sector - in increasing secure access to land by rural households as part of broader efforts to reduce rural poverty.  Indonesian government representatives to the WSSD extended an invitation to the Coalition to work together with the Indonesian government to develop LAND Partnerships pilot activities in the country. 

Main Observations

During the week, a number of issues were raised by Indonesian government officials, civil society organizations, policy researchers and representatives of international agencies.  In terms of policy-making processes, there currently appear to be at least five tracks through which relevant policy is being developed in parallel.  These include:

A. Revisions to the Basic Agrarian Law of 1960, being conducted by the National Land Agency (BPN) in accordance with the provisions of Presidential Decree No 34/2003 and within the policy framework set out by MPR decree No. 9/2001. 

B. Development of national economic development strategies that incorporate the use of land resources, conducted by the National Planning Agency (Bappenas).

C. Development of draft policy on natural resource management, also within the policy framework set out by MPR decree No. 9/2001, conducted by the Department of Environment.

D. Development and revision of sectoral laws that involve land use and access, such as those governing mining activities or water resources, conducted by various government departments.

E. Development of a national poverty reduction plan as part of the PRSP process, conducted by the office of the Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare.

This brief list, while not necessarily complete, illustrates the multiple channels through which policy affecting rural households and rural development is being developed.  In addition to involving different government departments, these processes also involve different international agencies, which are providing financial and technical support, and different sets of civil society groups and peoples' organizations.

Throughout the discussions, Indonesian policy-makers and practitioners saw an important opportunity at hand to encourage convergence of these different policy-making processes.  In the past, a lack of coherence among laws and regulations has limited the ability of poor communities to use land and other natural resources in ways that are both productive and sustainable.  By encouraging convergence among the current policy-making tracks, both government and civil society actors anticipate that greater coherence among laws and regulations can be achieved.

Conflict over land and natural resources is a second key concern among government and civil society actors.  Government officials reported that much of their time is taken up by addressing these conflicts, limiting their ability to manage other aspects of their departmental work.  While there are civil society efforts to address land and resource conflicts, including through one new initiative with the National Human Rights Commission ( Komnas HAM ), there is recognition of the need for broader government leadership in this area.  There is an opportunity for the government to take on this leadership role by incorporating dialogue on preventing and resolving land and resource conflicts into the existing policy tracks described above.

Additionally, there is an understanding that access to land and other resources alone is not sufficient for poor households to improve their livelihood.  Support services, such as infrastructure, access to markets and access to credit at fair terms, are also often key elements for poor men and women to overcome poverty.  In addition, given Indonesia's diverse nature, rural development challenges may be different in different parts of the country.  There is thus support for addressing land and resource access in conjunction with broader policies to support rural families and the rural economy.

Potential Next Steps

Throughout the discussions, Indonesian government and civil society groups expressed a strong interest in enhancing existing forums for coordination, and opening policy-making processes to wider public participation.  In addition, there is apparent interest and willingness among international agencies to participate in broader working groups, in order to increase understanding of their engagement with different policy processes among Indonesian actors. 

In the near-term, the BPN will initiate a public consultation process in January 2004 concerning proposed revisions to the Basic Agrarian Law, which will offer one mechanism through which both public participation and coordination among departments and sectors could occur.  KPA and the BPN are prepared to facilitate a compilation of the various policy development activities that are being undertaken currently by different departments and supported by different international agencies, building on efforts already underway.  It is anticipated that most, if not all, of the organizations with which the Coalition met in October would be able to provide relevant information to this exercise.

As part of this policy review exercise, KPA and the BPN will also assess interest in organizing a roundtable meeting in January, which would address potential for convergence among policy tracks and coincide with start of the public process on revisions to the Basic Agrarian Law.  The Coalition is prepared to support this process, should there be sufficient interest among the various stakeholders.

List of Meetings, 26-31 October

Department of Forestry

Department of Agriculture

National Land Agency (BPN)

The World Bank

Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Embassy of the Netherlands

Natural Resource Management Program of USAID

World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF)

Multi-stakeholder Working Group on Forest Land Tenure

NGO Working Group on Agrarian Reform and Natural Resource Management (Pokja PA-PSDA)

Pasundan Peasants Union (SPP)

Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI)

Agrarian Studies Institute at IPB (Bogor Institute of Agriculture)