Project description

Title: Strengthening Management Capacities in the Indonesian Forest Sector
Commissioned by: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)
Country: Indonesia
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Forestry
Overall term: April 1997 to December 2005

Context

The Indonesian forests in past decades lost an estimated 1.8 to 2.8 million hectares through destructive exploitation, illegal logging and trade as well as forest fires. The disappearance of the forests is putting at risk the natural resources vital to humans, the stock of the wood-processing industries and the overall ecological balance in the region. The Indonesian decentralisation policy has led to a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities at the various levels of government, exacerbating the situation further.

Objective

The Indonesian forests are conserved by sustainable forest management. They are protected and used in an ecologically sound way.

Approach

The GTZ project supports the Ministry of Forestry in reforming the forest sector. A forum consisting of representatives of the government, relevant institutions, the civil society, non-governmental organisations and the private sector is supported in developing a National Forestry Programme (NFP).

The project supports continuous dialogue between the various interest groups, encourages the preparation of fact sheets on which to base arguments, and conducts training measures for members of non-governmental organisations and the staff of various ministries.

Results achieved so far

The National Forestry Programme is being put together step by step. It will serve as a reference for all important decision-making processes in the forestry sector and bases policy formulation on objective, comprehensible principles. Existing elements have been adopted as national guidelines for forestry development and management.

Indonesia has signed international conventions and takes active part in conferences and forestry programmes.

Further information

• Website of the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry
  Departemen Kehutanan Republik Indonesia
  www.dephut.go.id