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Becoming Peatland Heroes: The Perspectives of 55 Young Researchers in West Kalimantan in Building Synergy for Sustainable Peatland Management

Enthusiasm and interest were clearly apparent when ICRAF, through Peat-IMPACTS Indonesia, initiated the Young Peat Researcher Incubator or Inkubator Peneliti Muda Gambut (IPMG) programme in West Kalimantan province.

The IPMG-West Kalimantan Chapter involved 31 female and 24 male graduates from various universities in West Kalimantan who participated in the programme, which ran from February to July 2021.

Good collaboration was established with the West Kalimantan Provincial Government and Kubu Raya District Government, where IPMG activities took place. Lecturers from universities in West Kalimantan shared their enthusiasm by promoting and selecting the best candidates to join the programme.

Head of the West Kalimantan Provincial Public Housing and Settlements Office, Ir. H. Adi Yani, MH, expressed his hope that, “the Young Peat Researcher Incubator programme can stimulate the youth in West Kalimantan through research activities relating to peat. We hope that a sustainable peatland management system can be established through a proper knowledge management system”.

Before going to the field, young researchers were prepared through a series of training sessions covering many competencies on the ‘Approach to Livelihoods and Landscape Improvement and Resilience’ (ALLIR). The expectation was that the IPMG programme would collect data through engagement with peat farmers and communities to uncover intervention options for sustainable peatland management in West Kalimantan. Field activities lasted for approximately four months in 31 villages in the Kapuas–Ambawang River and Terentang–Kapuas River Peat Hydrological Units (PHUs).

Once field activities had been completed, the 55 young researchers conducted a series of knowledge dissemination sessions for sharing information and experiences. A provincial seminar was held on their experiences in peatland research, with topics including land use in peat ecosystems, gender equality, strategic commodities, best agricultural practices, community livelihoods and farming patterns from an economic perspective. The expectation was for the seminar to provide fresh information and considerations for policymakers in West Kalimantan.

A media gathering was held with more than 20 journalists to attract media attention to social, economic and environmental issues relating to peatlands in West Kalimantan. This was followed by a campus tour to the top three universities in West Kalimantan to share experiences and knowledge with the academic community.

A focus group discussion with a women’s farmer group in Korek village, Kubu Raya district
A focus group discussion with a women’s farmer group in Korek village, Kubu Raya district

The last most important event was a provincial public dialogue with important leaders and policymakers from the national, provincial and district levels on livelihood problems in peatlands and possible solutions. All of these events were based on the valuable experiences of the 55 young researchers through Peat-IMPACTS Indonesia.

During the public dialogue, ICRAF Indonesia Country Director, Dr. Sonya Dewi, relayed an important message on the importance of partnerships between the government and the private sector. As livelihood issues differ from one village to another, despite being in the same province, context-specific livelihood options need to be developed to solve the challenge of managing peatlands sustainably. Sonya Dewi also praised the IPMG programme as an example of how landscape management can involve the young generation as part of the solution.

Discussion with farmer group members in Sungai Terus village, Kubu Raya district, on improving access to Five Livelihood Capitals topic, which developed rice cultivation with a direct seed planting system (tabela)
Discussion with farmer group members in Sungai Terus village, Kubu Raya district, on improving access to Five Livelihood Capitals topic, which developed rice cultivation with a direct seed planting system (tabela)

Meneguhkan Pengelolan Gambut Berkelanjutan di Bumi Sumatera Selatan

Kolaborasi Parapihak Dalam Penyusunan Rencana Perlindungan dan Pengelolaan Gambut (RPPEG) untuk 30 Tahun Mendatang

Lokakarya1

Dinas Lingkungan Hidup dan Pertanahan (DLHP) Provinsi Sumatera Selatan, memulai proses penyusunan dokumen Rencana Perlindungan dan Pengelolaan Ekosistem Gambut (RPPEG) dengan menyelenggarakan Lokakarya Penyadartahuan Penyusunan Dokumen Rencana Perlindungan dan Pengelolaan Ekosistem Gambut (RPPEG) Provinsi Sumatera Selatan, pada Senin, 02 Agustus 2021, di Hotel Wyndham, Jakabaring, Palembang.

Acara yang dilaksanakan secara luring dan daring ini merupakan langkah awal dalam meningkatkan dan memperkuat pemahaman para pihak tentang urgensi perencanaan ekosistem gambut dan proses yang harus ditempuh dalam menyusun RPPEG pada tingkat provinsi maupun kabupaten. Melalui lokakarya ini diharapkan akan terhimpun informasi awal mengenai prosedur, tahapan, ketersediaan data dan informasi yang relevan dalam penyusunan RPPEG Provinsi Sumatera Selatan.

Sebagai media konsultasi para pihak, lokakarya dihadiri oleh berbagai pemangku kepentingan di Provinsi Sumatera Selatan, meliputi jajaran Unit Pelaksana Teknis (UPT) Kementerian LHK, OPD Pemprov Sumsel, akademisi, mitra pembangunan, kalangan swasta dan profesional, serta media. Kegiatan ini juga didukung oleh ICRAF Indonesia, Forum DAS Sumsel, dan Balai Penelitian Tanah sebagi bagian dari upaya #PahlawanGambut di Sumatera Selatan. #PahlawanGambut adalah sebuah gerakan untuk menghimpun pengetahuan, pembelajaran, pemahaman serta berbagai ide terkait pengelolaan gambut berkelanjutan oleh para penggiat, peneliti, pelaku usaha, petani dan generasi muda di Sumatera Selatan dan Kalimantan Barat.

Lokakarya2

Dalam sambutannya mewakili Kepala Dinas Lingkungan Hidup dan Pertanahan (DLHP) provinsi Sumatera Selatan, Kabid Pengendalian Kerusakan dan Pemeliharaan Lingkungan Hidup, Drs Wilman SH, MH, menyampaikan, “Lokakarya ini dilakukan dengan melihat perlunya upaya-upaya pelestarian dan perlindungan ekosistem gambut. Penyusunan upaya pengelolaan ekosistem gambut Sumsel ini disusun untuk 30 tahun kedepan, 2020-2049, dengan mengacu kepada Kepmen LHK, untuk mendukung RPPEG Nasional. Selain itu upaya lainnya juga dilakukan guna pemanfaatan, perlindungan dan pendayagunaan ekosistem gambut, serta adaptasi dan mitigasi terhadap perubahan iklim yang terjadi. Sehingga wawasan kita akan terbuka secara jelas betapa pentingnya ekosistem lahan gambut di Sumatra Selatan.”

Penyusunan dokumen RPPEG merupakan amanat Peraturan Pemerintah (PP) Republik Indonesia Nomor 71 Tahun 2014 sebagaimana telah diubah dengan PP Nomor 57 Tahun 2016 tentang Perlindungan dan Pengelolaan Ekosistem Gambut.

PP tersebut memberikan mandat kepada Menteri, Gubernur, dan Bupati/Walikota untuk menyusun dan menetapkan RPPEG sesuai kewenangannya. Meliputi RPPEG nasional oleh Menteri, RPPEG provinsi oleh Gubernur, dan RPPEG kabupaten/kota oleh Bupati/Walikota.

Menurut Kasubdit Perencanaan Pengendalian Kerusakan Gambut KLHK, Ir. Huda Achsani, “Sumatera Selatan sudah melaksanakan fungsi pengelolaan dan perlindungan gambut, namun dari keseluruhan itu, selain tindakan yang cepat dan praktis di lapangan kita perlu menyusun dokumen (RPPEG) sebagai landasan yang komprehensif, yang dapat digunakan sebagai landasan bagi RPJP, RPJMD, RTRW, RKTN, dan rencana strategis atau sektoral lainnya, baik di level pusat”.

Lebih lanjut Huda Achsani juga menuturkan bahwa dokumen RPPEG juga berisi kondisi potensi dan permasalahan di Sumsel, menarik isu strategis, data, serta informasi pendukung melalui data spasial, untuk merumuskan program, kegiatan dan target capaian secara detil. Sehingga siapapun yang berkepentingan untuk mengelola ekosistem gambut akan terarah, sistematis dan terpadu. Untuk itu, perlu adanya sinergitas satu dengan yang lain secara utuh, baik ekologis, ekonomis dan sosial.

Sejatinya, RPPEG merupakan sebuah dokumen perencanaan tertulis yang memuat potensi, masalah ekosistem gambut, serta upaya perlindungan dan pengelolaannya dalam kurun waktu tertentu. RPPEG merupakan sebuah upaya corrective action dalam pengelolaan ekosistem gambut (http://pkgppkl.menlhk.go.id/). RPPEG memuat rencana jangka panjang pengelolaan dan perlindungan lahan gambut untuk 30 tahun ke depan (2020-2049). Dokumen ini merupakan upaya perlindungan awal bagi lahan gambut dari kerusakan, dan degradasi lahan. Dalam penyusunannya, harus dilakukan secara komprehensif dan teliti, dengan melibatkan berbagai pihak dari level kabupaten, provinsi hingga level nasional.

Sumatera Selatan merupakan provinsi dengan salah satu ekosistem gambut yang terluas di pulau Sumatera setelah Provinsi Riau. Namun saat ini ekosistem gambut tersebut berada dalam kondisi yang membutuhkan upaya pengelolaan dan pemulihan menyeluruh, sehingga Sumatera Selatan masuk sebagai salah satu provinsi prioritas restorasi gambut.

Oleh karenanya, hadirnya RPPEG diharapkan mampu mencegah terjadinya kerusakan dan menjamin kelestarian fungsi ekosistem gambut untuk sekarang dan masa yang akan datang di Sumatera Selatan, dan dapat diikuti oleh beberapa kabupaten di Provinsi Sumatera Selatan yang memiliki wilayah bergambut.

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50 young people of #PahlawanGambut South Sumatra ready for the Sustainable peatland management, present and future

Through the Peat-IMPACTS Indonesia program, World Agroforestry (ICRAF) started an initiative called #PahlawanGambut. #PahlawanGambut is the branding activity to gather knowledge, learning, understanding, and various ideas related to sustainable peat management by activists, researchers, business actors, farmers and the young generation in South Sumatra and West Kalimantan. This collection of knowledge will then be used to jointly strengthen governance and stakeholder capacity in Indonesia’s peatlands.

One of the #PahlawanGambut activities is the South Sumatra Junior Peat Research Incubator Program (IPMG), which started from October 2020 to February 2021, in 32 villages in Ogan Komering Ilir and Banyuasin Districts. This program has invited 50 of 25 young women and 25 man graduates from tertiary institutions in South Sumatra to work for 3-4 months with ICRAF researchers, peat farmers and activists to uncover various knowledge, lessons learned and intervention options for well-manner managing sustainable peatlands in South Sumatra. The implementation of this activity went well and produced junior South Sumatra cadres who enthusiastic in peatlands and are ready to contribute in sustainable peatland management.

As the final program of 50 #PahlawanGambut Chapter-1 South Sumatra, ICRAF carried out a seminar on March 10, 2021. A collection of 40 Scientific Studies were presented based on experiences and lessons learned related to problems in peatlands, including land use in the peat ecosystem, gender equality, prime commodities and their problems, the need to strengthen community institutions, towards best agricultural practices, efforts to improve livelihoods society, and various farming patterns from an economic perspective. This compiling opinions, experiences and information that can be used as input for policymaker related to sustainable peat ecosystem management in South Sumatra.

In the opening remarks, on behalf of the Governor of South Sumatra, Ir. H Dharna Dahlan, MM, coordinator of Regional Peat Restoration Team South Sumatra said, “We gave high appreciation to ICRAF, and we are very proud of the junior Peat Researchers of South Sumatra. In future, they can work together with us to get as much information as needed.”

Follow with the Highlight event, ICRAF held “Dialogue across generations” on March 12, 2021, which was attended by expert speakers from various government institutions, academics, other invited guests and presented five IPMGs who shared interesting stories of the fieldwork in several villages in Ogan Komering Ilir and Banyuasin Districts. Budi Satyawan Wardhana, Deputy I-Planning and Work, Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency advised “Human basic provisions are learning, charity, and education, so we hope that junior peat researchers can learn to gain the level of thinking to contribute ways to solve problems; so PMG capacity will increase and more visible by means of critical thinking to jointly find solutions to problems in the field.”

Another important message was conveyed by Dr. Sonya Dewi, ICRAF Indonesia Country Coordinator, “Partnership support, mentoring, counselling between the government and the private sector are also urgently needed. The problems context in each village visited was different and several options for problem-solving interventions are needed depending on the problems that occur in each village. Sonya Dewi also emphasized that PMG is a best-graduated researcher who can be invited to become prospective researchers for government institutions related to the peat sector, whose concern and enthusiastic for peat in South Sumatra.”

The hope is that all parties can contribute actively to activities related to restoration, implementation of various environmental services, development of suitable paludiculture on peatlands and special approaches to improve the function of peat for the people of South Sumatra, Indonesia and for all of us.

Edukasi Masyarakat Menjadi Hal Terpenting Cegah Kebakaran Lahan Gambut

Published on 29 September 2020 in the Globalplanet News

Lahan gambut di Sumatera Selatan yang mudah terbakar menjadi sorotan. Sebagian besar penyebab bencana kebakaran gambut ini karena perilaku manusia. Padahal pada dasarnya lahan gambut adalah rumah bagi air.

Herlan Kagami, Kasi Lahan, Kebakaran, Gangguan Usaha dan Konflik Perkebunan Dinas Perkebunan Provinsi Sumsel mengatakan, akar permasalahan gambut terbakar, 90 persen oleh manusia dan sisanya di luar manusia (faktor alam)

“Lahan yang mestinya tergenang terendam oleh air tiba-tiba dia hilang dengan sengaja menghilangkan. Dia bisa kering, kemungkinan bisa jadi penyebabnya, lahan gambut diberikan izin kepada pemegang konsesi untuk membuat aktifitas budidaya. Sehingga gambut terganggu dan mudah terbakar,” jelas Herlan dalam Zoom meeting yang digelar ICRAF, Selasa (29/9/2020)

Read more on Globalplanet News