Kabar Itah

Edition 10: April-June 2006

Editorial Hand up vs Handout

This issue of Kabar Itah demonstrates the

widening diversity of YTS’s involvement in
development issues that lie beyond the village.

The environment is becoming more and more

important, with biodiversity conservation a
particularly strong focus. Although we are not
directly involved in conservation activities, we are
participating actively in the ‘Heart of Borneo’
initiative in the province, and are collaborating
with The Nature Conservancy in a scoping study
for ‘high conservation value forestry’ in the remote
area where PT Kalimantan Surya Kencana is
exploring for minerals. Our main objective with
both these initiatives is to gain a better
understanding on how to integrate conservation
thinking into our overall approach.

The big news is that we have begun work on the

UNIDO Global Mercury Project - an
environmentally-focused project aimed at
reducing and mitigating the impact of unsafe
mercury handling practices.
For over a year, we have been supporting
community involvement in the government’s
bottom-up planning mechanism, called
‘Musrenbang’. This activity reinforces the
community-based participatory planning process
that YTS facilitates, by drawing the result - the
‘village development plan’ - directly into the
government arena, where the administration is
obliged to respond to the collective needs and
demands of villagers. YTS would like to see this
approach extended throughout the district, and
will be presenting its proposal to the district
leadership some time in July.
The community still remains our main focus, but
with these and other initiatives the full spectrum
of our attention is quickly broadening.
Wherever you are, do have a good summer.
In August, Fried Bandjang (second from right), the local rubber expert, will begin providing advice
to village interest groups on improving seedling quality, organic fertilizer, and pest and disease control.
To continue the technical support program started last year, two local experts
– Kresken, a pig expert, and Fried Bandjang, an experienced rubber specialist
– have begun to visit each village that wants to enlist outside technical help.
The experts will work with ‘interest groups’ – small groups of 10-15 villagers
– that have agreed to work together collectively in order to improve their
production activities.
Some villagers were reluctant to agree with this arrangement, preferring
instead to receive free material inputs such as rubber seedlings, piglets,
fertilizer, pesticide or medicine. YTS wants to support village empowerment
through a medium term process of capacity development by helping
members of the interest group to work together to improve cultivation and
husbandry practices, and by helping members of the management group
to learn to make an annual plan and to implement that plan successfully, by
accessing whatever resources might be needed.
One of the critical resources needed is technical expertise, and this will be
the first time that villages have contracted-in technical experts. Thus, this is
a learning opportunity for both the interest group and the management
group. YTS’s expectation is that through this process the village will become
much more capable of taking collective action, and that this in turn will
strengthen their ability to interact and negotiate with local government and
with other external agencies.

Bardolf Paul
Director
Kabar Itah Right now a total of seven villages have selected rubber as Exploring for Biodiversity
Kabar Itah is the quarterly newsletter their main priority; five others prefer pigs. During this visit
of Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta, an affili- from the experts, the village interest group puts forward a
ate of PT. Kalimantan Surya Kencana, PT KSK has always been very aware
a mineral exploration company. proposed plan and budget. If the expert agrees with the of the potential for high value
proposal, all parties – the village, the expert, and YTS - sign biodiversity in its Contract of Work
a contract and the work can proceed. Activities are expected exploration area - the area abounds
Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta
Patrons
to begin in August. with interesting flora and fauna.
Jend. (Purn) Soetriman Towards the end of June, we will
Sumbin Gaman In addition to the above, YTS is assisting villages in linking begin to explore the reality of what
Susilowati
with existing government services and programs that are actually is there, in a small scoping
Supervisors relevant. It is expected that government can balance the survey led by a small team from TNC,
Maulithawati Mustafa technical support from YTS with material support. Currently, The Nature Conservancy.
Rini Ariani Sulaiman each village is preparing a set of proposals for Forestry,
Rashidah MacDonald
Agriculture, Fisheries, and Plantation Services. YTS will The object of the survey is to identify
Executives ensure that the proposals are well-formulated, that they reach areas where high biodiversity values
Bardolf Paul the appropriate service department, and will follow up on the are likely to exist. The next step will
Yuliani Kristinawati
government response and action. be to study each selected area more
Asmiati
deeply, and then devise an overall
plan for managing biodiversity in a
mining environment. The study will
Table of Contents look also at values related to use and
Edition 10, April-June 2006 dependencies by local people, as
well as cultural values and practices
Editorial.............................................. 1
that are biodiversity-based. The
Hand up vs Handout.......................... 1 intention is to find ways to protect and
Exploring for Biodiversity.................. 2
conserve as much biodiversity
values as possible. Revenues from
Collaborative
Conservation Management.............. 2 a future mining operation would be
earmarked for this purpose.
Management
Training for Villages........................ 3
Both YTS and KSK will take part in
Clean Water Supply the scoping survey, as some staff are
in Tumbang Napoi........................... 4
very knowledgeable about local
UNIDO Mercury practices and specific environmental
Projects Begins............................... 4 conditions.
Although the local pig variety is relatively easy to look after, and is well-adapted
IFC Promotes to local conditions, simple techniques can boost growth and reduce mortality.
Supply-Chain Approach.................. 4

Agenda for 3rd Quarter.................... 4

Collaborative Conservation Management

Published by
Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta On 10 June, WWF Indonesia sponsored a one- has demotivated local governments to conserve
Jl. Teuku Umar No. 32A day seminar on ‘Exploring Community-Based
Palangka Raya 73112
forests. To counter this, a new concept, the
Central Kalimantan-Indonesia Conservation’. The event took place in Palangka ‘Conservation District’, is being promoted under
Phone. +62 (0536) 32 37184
Fax. +62 (0536) 32 29187
Raya and was supported by the provincial the Heart of Borneo program. This would be a
Email: tambuhaksinta@gmail.com Environment Department. One of the main aims voluntary, social contract by government aimed at
of the seminar was to inform people about the restoring lost forests.
official launching of the ‘Heart of Borneo’ initiative
Editor
Mayang Meilantina earlier this year in March at the Convention on Dr. San Afri Awang, Head of the Community
Biodiversity gathering in Brazil. The Heart of Borneo Forestry Research Centre in the Faculty of Forestry
Editorial Staff side event attracted over 150 participants, including at Gadja Mada University made the point that
Ros Siana senior ministers from the governments of community-based conservation is radically
Naumi
Saefudin Muthohar Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. different from the government’s current, top-down
Lihan
Suwandi
approach. He suggested introducing a
Kartie Vitamerry The seminar was led by four speakers who collaborative approach to conservation
focused on the government’s fiscal and management that would involve all stakeholders
Bank Account decentralization policies, international policies, in a balanced relationship, sharing roles,
Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta
Danamon Bank
and opportunities and challenges in community- responsibilities, and authority.
Palangka Raya Branch based conservation. Participants came from all
Number 11655412
four districts affected by the Heart of Borneo To obtain success in the Heart of Borneo initiative,
program, including two that YTS works in. it is essential to accommodate the interests of all
We welcome any news, comments and stakeholders, and obtain their active commitment
articles related to community and re- Conservation is an important issue in Indonesia and involvement. Otherwise the project could
gional development, but we reserve the
right to edit any material in order to fit due to ongoing concerns about the rapid depletion present new problems for national and local
the available space. of natural forest cover, and the potential impact government, and for industry. In order to
this is having on the environment, exacerbating successfully combine conservation objectives
natural disasters such as landslides, drought, and with economic and social development ones,
flooding. Decentralization and the need to raise current and future business possibilities must
local revenues through forestry-related activities also be accommodated.
2 Kabar Itah - Edition 10
 Management Training for Villages Clean Water Supply In Tumbang Napoi

Starting in May this year, YTS began providing management

training to management groups in 12 villages. The aim of the
training is to help develop basic skills in simple accounting,
reporting, group formation, and project coordination. YTS will be
providing each village with a ‘development fund’ and the
management group will be responsible for managing the funds
responsibly, and will be obliged to account for how the funds are
used. They also have to form and mobilize the technical interest
groups, coordinate the visits from the outside experts, and liaise
with local government support services.

So far the training is going reasonably well, although sometimes

it can be difficult to get all of the management team together at
the same time.

Forming interest groups has been a particular challenge

because there is no precedence for this. It therefore is sometimes The combined team of experts from LIPI, district government, and YTS
difficult to mobilize participants. People want to see very clear just returning from reviewing existing hydram installations in four villages.

benefits before they will agree to form a group. Moreover, they are
expected to work together and help one another improve technical
skills and knowledge. All of this is quite new and will have to be carefully The Appropriate Technology Development Agency
supported by YTS staff in the early stages. from LIPI, the Indonesian Science Institute, will
follow up from an earlier reconnaissance visit to
This year could be quite decisive for YTS because it will be the first full year in Tumbang Napoi to assist in installing a clean water
which all of these new components – interest groups, management groups, supply system utilizing the hydraulic ram or
village funds, outside experts – will come into play. Having 12 villages is a big ‘hydram’ mechanical pump. Out of four villages
plus because we can then see a reasonable variety of responses and visited previously, Tumbang Napoi was the only
interactions. Some villages already have quite strong internal solidarity, one that had suitable conditions for the hydram
whereas in others there are some social divisions which may impede the technology.
forward progress of the overall approach.
In 2001, YTS provided equipment to four villages
The ultimate aim is for villages to assume full responsibility for their own in the upper Kahayan River, but Napoi was the only
development; to be proactive in making choices and decisions; and to be one where the system functioned successfully. At
relatively free from dependence on outside agencies, including ourselves. the time, villagers built a dam to supply water to
We hope through the training that individuals will emerge who can take over the pumps, plus an 8000 litre storage tank, and
responsibility for spreading these skills and knowledge, and ensure that the they installed two hydram pumps. For a while the
content is socially and culturally appropriate. Once this happens, YTS can system provided clean water to 30 out of a total of
step back and help out more with strategic needs, such as influencing 180 households. Due to poor maintenance and
government policy to be more community-friendly. poor overall support from the community, the
system broke down and was never repaired.
At this point we can’t say that this approach will be successful, but it is
encouraging that people are willing to give it a try. The current initiative has full support from the
village, as it will provide everyone with ready access
to clean water. In preparation for the arrival of the
experts, villagers are repairing the dam, cleaning
up the water tank, and taking care of other technical
requirements.

As most of the existing equipment is unrepairable,

the LIPI team will replace most of it during their
visit in July. The team will also make sure social
arrangements to run and maintain the system are
well taken care of. This was one of the problems
that led to the demise of the system – only a few
people benefited. This time, access points will be
shared by two or three households, and they will
be distributed throughout the entire village

Local government support will be required to

oversee smooth running of the system, and to pay
for providing water supply to public facilities, such
as the school and government offices. Several
government staff are expected to observe the
YTS is training and coaching villagers in simple management techniques that
will help them to oversee smooth implementation of their village development plan. installation.

Kabar Itah - Edition 10 3

UNIDO Mercury Project Begins IFC Promotes Supply-Chain
Approach
The township of Kereng Pangi in Katingan District is a global ‘hot-spot’ for
mercury discharge. It services around 4,000 alluvial gold-miners who pump
their way through the surrounding harsh landscape, turning it into a vast
On April 26th in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan,
sandy wasteland.
IFC, the International Finance Corporation,
sponsored an exchange of experiences and
The district head from Katingan recently opened a training workshop
views on how to get local businesses involved
sponsored by UNIDO, the United Nations Industrial Development
in the supply-chain to oil, gas and mining
Organisation. He is keen to resolve the mercury issue, as it affects the entire
operations, as a means to foster and nurture
length of the main river that runs through his district.
the local economy. IFC is the part of the World
Bank Group that focuses on private sector
In June, UNIDO awarded YTS the contract to implement their Global Mercury
development in developing countries.
Project in Kalimantan. The project is aimed at raising awareness about the
serious hazards of mercury and changing unsafe practices. This will be an
Despite being more of a concern for the future
excellent opportunity for YTS to work directly with an artisanal mining
after PT Kalimantan Surya Kencana discovers
community, in a district that partly lies within PT KSK’s exploration area.
an ore body, it is useful to understand what is
Through this project, YTS expects to strengthen its links with the district, as
possible today in Indonesia. And it is good to
well as with UNIDO itself.
see what well-established major companies,
such as Chevron and PT Prima Coal, are doing
In the field, YTS will collaborate with staff from the district Mining, Health, and
to help foster and support the growth of local
Environment sections to conduct training programs with miners and gold-
businesses.
shop owners in the use of alternative technologies that ‘Reduce and Recycle’
mercury. The intention is not only to raise awareness in the local mining
Their overriding concerns are quality and
community about the health hazards of mercury poisoning, but also to change
dependability, especially in meeting critical
peoples’ behavior. Burning gold amalgam contaminates the entire town
deadlines. But they are prepared to provide a lot
of support, including training, coaching, and even
financing, to companies that they feel they can
build long term dependable relationships with.
Ultimately, this will have a knock-on effect at the
community level, as greater employment
opportunities arise and household incomes
benefit.

This exposure has provided some very useful

information and practical examples about how
to stimulate and support the development of
local supplier chains, and these will be
incorporated in the overall approach that PT KSK
takes when developing its own mining project.

Agenda for 3rd Quarter

July
• LIPI Hydram installation in Tumbang Napoi
If safe methods are not used in the gold recovery process, families • Biodiversity scoping study with The Nature
like these are most likely to be harmfully affected by exposure to mercury. Conservancy
• UNIDO Global Mercury Project baseline study
with mercury fumes, including the local school. Young people and women • District presentation in Kuala Kurun
can be seriously affected by mercury vapour.
August-September
Although this project is in one specific location, the same health issues • Rubber cultivation and pig-rearing training in
arise in other communities; as the same hazardous processes are used to 12 villages
recover gold. In fact, the problem is province-wide, with areas along other • UNIDO Global Mercury Project preparation
rivers, such as the Kahayan, equally contaminated. Therefore, the project • Susila Dharma International meeting in India
would also like to contribute to policy changes at the national, provincial, and
district levels in order to would address the problem more effectively. September
• Contact with new villages
Thus, our involvement is not limited simply to the local level. Working together • UNIDO Global Mercury Project training of
with UNIDO, we also intend to bring this threat to the attention of the Provincial trainers and public launch event
Governor, so that all levels of government are informed of the causes, and
the preventative measures possible.

Kabar Itah - Edition 10 4