All this time, Papua and West Papua are only known as few of the least, if not the least developed provinces in Indonesia. Little did the world know that the Indonesian government is actually running a comprehensive sustainable development program called “The Green Economic Growth program for Papua Provinces” (GEGPP).
The Introduction
The concept of green economy development in Papua is based on the five customary territories to find out the potency of each region including mining, agriculture, plantations and livestock. The program is relatively new in its introduction to the public, but it was started a year ago in October 2017. The Assistant for Economic Affairs and People’s Welfare of Papua Province Noak Kapisa told reporters in Jayapura on October 2nd 2018, that the green economy development concept is similar to the idea of sustainable development. It includes some aspects of economy, social and environment as well.
For instance, the sago forests in the south namely in Merauke, Mappi, Asmat and in the North (Waropen, Mamberamo Raya, Mamberamo Tengah), and then in Jayapura. Everything would base on commodities and indigenous territories. Thus, this should apply a value chain process from upstream to downstream. Through the green economy development the provincial government will map the potential commodities and their distribution in Papua. Not only sago, other commodities such as coffee, red fruit (pandanus sp.), sweet potatoes, and cocoa are also becoming the priorities in the green economy development.
Furthermore, he said the provincial government is very appreciated to an offer to open a coffee plantation in Papua Province from the National Land Council by preparing a report collaborated with relevant ministries on the current potential commodities. Meanwhile, the Assistant for General Affairs of Papua Province Elysa Auri added that Papua Provincial Government had compiled a master plan and road map of sustainable land based for the green economy development in order to accommodate the economic growth targets.
The Ongoing Efforts
In 2015, West Papua declared itself the world’s first “conservation province,” with a mandate to prioritize conservation in all decisions of economic development. The move came on the heels of a 2014 national law that reversed some aspects of decentralization by partly transferring governance of Indonesia’s natural resources from the local level back up to provincial level. While some saw this as a huge step forward — allowing for more consistent and enforceable laws — others worried that the rights of local indigenous peoples would be ignored as more land-use decisions were made at higher levels.
With these concerns in mind, in October 2018 West Papua and Papua provincial leaders signed the Manokwari Declaration. The agreement changes the two regions’ development framework from “conservation” to “sustainable development,” a subtle shift that gives more control for the local government over land issues. By making this alteration, they hope to place responsibility for sustainability more firmly in the hands of local governments, who are more in tune with the rights of their indigenous constituents.
The Program
The program aims to promote green growth in Papua. It will contribute to the government of Papua’s vision and spatial plan that intends to preserve 90 per cent forest cover in the province. In doing so the program will support the provinces transition away from a high carbon business as usual growth trajectory onto a low carbon development pathway.
The program is designed to address the key barriers to private sector development in Papua that will enable firms to pursue low carbon business opportunities. It will work directly with firms, the financial sector, and the public sector to improve the commercial and environmental sustainability of small and medium sized enterprises. In addition, the program will generate knowledge on how green growth can be implemented in Indonesia and globally.
In 2017, the government commenced the 5-year program, which consisted of multiple sustainability indicators. The program itself, which is planned to be finished in 2022, focused mainly in Small Holder Farmers (SHF) and micro-small medium enterprises (SME) as the main engine of sustainable, community-based economic development. According to its initial research, There are five critical issues that Indonesia need to address in Papua:
– Weak capacity (low levels of education, lack of knowledge and basic business skills) of SHFs and SMEs. The government intend to boost the confidence of farmers and small medium businesses to go into bigger businesses, thus creating a bottom-up approach in the economy, where communities are running and guiding not only the production or distribution, but also the policies.
– Papuan SHFs and SMEs in remote rural locations struggle to produce commercially viable volumes of commodities and have very limited access to markets. Most Papuan SMEs have difficulty accessing commercially viable amounts of credit and face high entry barrier – A lack of coordination and synergy among key government agencies and donors that are supposed to support Papuan SHFs and SMEs
– The high cost of official licensing and permits required to do business, and the unofficial costs associated with local rent seeking.
IN ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES, THE GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING FIVE MEASURES OF RESEARCH AND ASSISTANCE FOR THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROGRAM:
1. Market Systems Analysis (WS1)
The GEGPP will identify, define and pilot test the changes to market systems which are needed, in order to enable wide scale adoption of sustainable crop farming systems and land use practices (and thus improved climate resilience). Many of those systems are not specific to only GEGPP target beneficiaries, and may affect a wider group of farmers.
2. Socio-economic Planning and Gender Analysis (WS2)
The GEGPP will address the chronic capacity deficits that challenge rural Papuan SHFs and hamper their ability to compete with the agrarian trading/cultures of non-Papuan migrants, especially in more remote locations like the highlands. A customised and culturally appropriate adult education methodology will equip SHFs with higher level “soft skills” such as self-organising and economic development planning skills.
3. Farming Methods and Production Systems (WS3)
The GEGPP will assist SHFs adopt sustainable crop systems and land use practices. The crops, value added products, and MSMEs selected and the supporting activities provided by the GEGPP team will be guided by a core set of internationally recognised sustainability principles. WS3 will address the specific technical needs of each producer-farmer through effective basic training to increase yields, improve quality, and ensure consistency and stability. The training will vary, based on the specific commodity and producer relationships.
4. Credit, Finance and Small Business Development (WS4)
The GEGPP will assist financial service providers become more active and build a portfolio of loans in the agriculture and agribusiness sector targeting indigenous Papuans. The delivery of WS 4 will require working partnerships with local banks, financial institutions and other rural credit / finance initiatives such as ‘PROSPEK’ and ‘Gerbang Mas Hasrat’. Public funding opportunities through the Dana Desa will also be explored.
5. Business Incubator and Investor Engagement (W$5)
The GEGPP will help ensure improved access to business support services and investment funding to green growth oriented lead firms, ISPs and SMEs through a structured incubation and investment facilitation process. WS5 will have a combined function of coordinating the provision of business support services to ISPs and SMEs and facilitate investment into green growth oriented lead firms through a structured incubation and investment facilitation process.
Environmentally Friendly Development
The Government of Papua is ready to pursue an alternative low carbon pathway. The provincial government’s ‘Vision 2100’ and ‘Blueprint for Sustainable Land Use’ aim for an economic model that delivers equitable growth, is ecologically sustainable, and improves the lives of Papuans. The Provincial Spatial Plan for Papua sets an ambitious target of 90% forest cover and aims to reduce the area previously earmarked for planned deforestation by 21%. The GEGPP represents the next phase of UK Climate Change Unit (UKCCU) support it is providing technical support for selected Papuan small holder farmers and SMEs to develop from the bottom-up, while increasing the confidence to go-into-business. The program aims to increase the confidence of local authorities to manage local economic development, and attract investors to green businesses in rural and urban regions of Papua. The program will identify and support a portfolio of nascent Papuan agribusiness smallholders and SMEs that will be the basis for a more comprehensive green investment strategy for both provinces in Papua. The success of selected small holder farmers (SHFs) and micro, small medium enterprises (MSMEs) should catalyse more green investment by leveraging successful program interventions to attract support from other donors, local government funding and ultimately private finance to support potential green enterprises in both provinces.
Program implementation has been structured around 5 technical work streams:The program has identified the following commodities, products and services that have potential to be developed into green, commercially sustainable enterprises by Papuans:
Agroforestry: Coffee, Cacao. Coconut Products (VCO, vinegar, charcoal) Spices (vanilla, black pepper, nutmeg) Seaweed (and down-stream products) Sago Cassava Timber (modular houses, furniture) Eco, Cultural, and Adventure Tourism Non-timber Forest Products (massoia, damar, akar wangi, nilam, honey, red fruit) Renewable Energy: Micro Hydro, Solar Energy, Biogas Local Transportation and logistics services to support commodity producers Post harvest processing and value-added services to support commodity producers
The Reception of The Papuans
The program received generally positive reception among Papuans, especially farmers. They gave testimony that farmers initially were destructive towards the soil, practicing slash-and-burn agriculture method. The program received generally positive reception among Papuans, especially farmers. They gave testimony that farmers initially were destructive towards the soil, practicing slash-and-burn agriculture method.
CONCLUSION
The international society needs to know that, amidst the importance of Papua and Papuan forest as the lungs of the world, Indonesia came prepared with a clear vision regarding Papua, called “Visi 2100”. The vision means that Indonesian government has the distant future in mind, up to year 2100. The world need to remain optimistic while supervising the development of those enormously rich provinces.
