THINKING beyond the canopy

Political Economy Study of Fire and Haze in Indonesia

Herry Purnomo and Bayuni Shantiko

THINKING beyond the canopy

The project Funded by DfID-UK (January-December 2015) Aims to better inform decision makers with an

understanding of the on-the-ground dynamics (economic, social, and political) that are resulting in fire.

Structured into four components • Fire policy and governance

• Fire events and their typologies

• Understanding the political economy of fire practices in target landscapes

• Outreach and engagement.

THINKING beyond the canopy

Sites and Methods

Riau Province 10 sites represent clearly identifiable fire ignition

points Part of the largest fire events in 2013 and 2014

Methods• Mapping, surveys, policy reviews, FGDs, CBA

and network analysis.

THINKING beyond the canopy

No Site name District Characteristic

1 Ayu Junaidi Dumai Fire occurred in community land (2014).

2 Giam Siak Bengkalis Fire occurred in state land (2013, 2014).

3 Pulau Rupat Bengkalis Fire occurred in village proliferation area (2013, 2014).

4 Rokan Adi Karya Rokan hulu Fire occurred in APL (2013).

5 Satria Perkasa Agung (SPA)

Dumai Fire in state land and far from village/settlement area (2014).

6 Sumatra Lestari (SL) Rokan Hilir Fire in community land (2013).

7 Suntara Gaja Pati (SGP)

Dumai Fire in private HGU land (2013, 2014).

8 Torganda Rokan Hilir Fire occurred in village proliferation area.

9 Tumpuan Bengkalis Fire in private HGU land (2010).

10 Buruk Bakul Bengkalis Fire in land ex-managed by cooperative (2014, 2015).

ActorsNo Actor Actor description1 Land claimant Village elite, youth elite, customary leaders elite, ex-logger

2 Farm group leader Land claimant, member of political party and other community elites3 Member of farm group Farmers, local community, farm group leader’ relatives

4 Marketing team Member of farm group who assigned as marketing team5 Village government Village head, secretary, officers, RT/RW officers6 Sub district government Sub-district head, secretary, officers 7 District government 8 Provincial government 9 Ministry of Environmental and

Forestry

10 Broker/land speculator Community elite, youth elite, member of political party, village officers11 Small size land buyers (<25ha) Staff of companies, farm group member/leaders’ relatives, local businessmen,

member of political party, civil servant 12 Large size land buyers (>=25ha) Entrepreneur, district/provincial officials, intercity traders, company manager

13 Smallholder oil palm grower Staff of companies, farm group member/leaders’ relatives, local businessmen, member of political party, civil servant

14 Large-holder oil palm grower Intercity entrepreneur, district/provincial officials, intercity traders, company manager

15 Advocacy group Local/national NGOs, universities, local/national media16 Civil society organisations Social organisations (Ormas), university, NGOs17 Donor DfID, JICA, EU18 Land based corporation Oil palm companies, forest plantation companies19 Research institution University, research institution and technology (CIFOR, ICRAF, BPPT, FORDA etc.)20 Regional disaster management

agencyGovernment agencies at the district level similar to related disaster management agencies at provincial and national level

THINKING beyond the canopy

Findings

The situation on the ground is really complex Caused by multiple actors

• Government, private actors, local community and non-state actors

Multiple land types• State forest area, corporation concession,

private/community lands

• Peat and mineral soil

Multiple drivers• Economy, politic, social and climate/weather 

There are numerous policies with respect to fires, but not powerful enough to reduce fire

Laws and regulations

Law 41 (1999) on Forestry

Government Regulation 4 (2001) on Forest and Land Fires

Verchot, 2014

Who gets what: Slash clearing cut

Village head & officers $88 (13%)

Land claimant,$29 (4%)

Farmers group member, tree cutting $77(12%)

Farmers group member, slashing $96 (14%)

Marketing team $38 (6%)

Total BenefitSlash & cut$665/ha

Farmers group organizer $338 (51%)

Economy of Fire

Who gets what: Burning land (ready to plant)

Village head & officers $88 (10%)

Land claimant,$38 (4%)

Farmer group member, tree cutting $77 (9%)

Farmer group member, slashing $96 (11%)

Marketing team, $54 (6%)

Total Benefit$856/ha

Farmer group organizer $486 (57%)

Farmer group member, burning $15 (2%)

Farmer group member, cheap/free land $2 (0.2%)

Village head & officers $88 (3%)

Land claimant,$38 (1%)

Farmer group member, tree cutting $77 (3%)

Farmer group member, slashing $96 (3%)

Marketing team, $54 (2%)

Total Benefit$3,077/ha

Farmer group organizer$1567 (51%)

Farmer group member, burning $15 (1%)

Farmer Group member, cheap/free land $2 (0.1%)

OP development$992 (32%)

Farmer group member, OP maintenance wage

$147 (5%)

Who gets what: Three-year oil palm

THINKING beyond the canopy

Key points

Many local players benefit hugely from fire The scale of these financial benefits means

livelihoods alternatives need to be significant These local players wear multiple hats e.g.

farmers, politicians, businessmen, heads of cooperatives, police officers, executives in plantation companies and academician.

Company staff and sub-contractors may be undermining their companies' corporate commitments

THINKING beyond the canopy

Fire Fighting VS Fire Prevention

Many government agencies prioritize fire fighting (e.g. water bombing, rain-making) over fire prevention (e.g. canal blocking, community-based water management, conflict resolution, spatial planning)• Visible and creates many new income streams

through jobs, equipment and other payments

• Budget politic Needs to shift from fire fighting to fire prevention due to

inefficient and ineffective of using of public funds and can’t solve the problems.

Influencing Key Actors

Degree Centrality: The most influential actors in land transaction causing fire

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Between-ness centrality: The most influential actors in brokering land transaction

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The policy makers

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The Companies

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The NGOs

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The Communities

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Reinforce community-based ecosystem restoration

Thank You