Institutional Mechanisms for REDD+ - Case Studies Working Paper

carried out by Yayasan Puter will further strengthen the ability of villages to equitably resolve internal
disputes.
5.3.7 EVALUATIONS OF PAST PERFORMANCE
It is too early to evaluate the performance of this REDD+ demonstration project.
5.4 RUPES/RIVERCARE PROJECT
The sub-district of Sumberjaya is located in West Lampung Province. It forms the upper watersheds of all
major rivers on the island of Sumatra. Approximately 40 percent of Sumberjaya is subsequently classified as
protection forest and 10 percent as national park. Nonetheless, nearly three-quarters of the land has been
converted to coffee gardens by small-scale farmers. The government believed that uncontrolled deforestation
was causing erosion, which threatened the operation of the Way Besai hydropower company (PLTA).
Thousands of farmers were consequently evicted from Sumberjaya between 1991 and 1996.
In 2004, the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) started working in Sumberjaya through its RUPES project
(Rewarding Upland Poor for Environmental Services). During the first phase of the project, ICRAF focused
on supporting local communities to gain access to the Government of Indonesia‘s HKm program. The HKm
program gives farmers conditional land tenure to cultivate protection forest for coffee. In exchange, they
must adopt sustainable farming practices and protect the remaining natural forest. The HKm program now
covers approximately 70 percent of Sumberjaya‘s protection forest and involves nearly 6,400 farmers
(ICRAF, 2010).
Between 2008 and 2009, ICRAF worked with PLTA to implement a pilot project known as the RiverCare
program, which would reward farmers who could reduce river sedimentation through improved land
management practices. A competition was held between 30 groups of HKm farmers over six months. The
group that developed the most promising erosion control measures was subsequently trained in river
sediment monitoring. As a reward for the sediment reductions achieved by the group, PLTA installed a
micro-hydroelectric generator for the community. Runner-up HKm groups received cash payments of up to
7.5 million Rupiah (approximately US$875). 172
ICRAF has been inactive in the area since the RiverCare pilot program ended in 2009. However, they are
currently considering a second phase of RiverCare, which would expand the program to new communities
and potentially introduce new performance criteria beyond reduced sedimentation. 173
5.4.1 OVERVIEW OF KEY INSTITUTIONS
ICRAF:
ICRAF is a global research organization dedicated to generating and applying the best available knowledge to
stimulate agricultural growth, raise farmers‘ incomes, and protect the environment. The RUPES project seeks
to integrate rewards for environmental services into development programs to alleviate rural poverty and
protect the environment. It has 15 research sites in six Asian countries: India, Nepal, China, Vietnam,
Philippines, and Indonesia. ICRAF played a major role in securing HKm permits for farmer groups in the
Sumberjaya sub-district, and designed and implemented the RiverCare pilot program.
172 Interview with Eddy Perwanto.
173 Interview with Chandra Wijaya.
104 PRRGP INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR REDD: CASE STUDIES – WORKING PAPER