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

Exploring for Biodiversity.................. 2

Both YTS and KSK will take part in the
scoping survey, as some staff are very
Collaborative
Conservation Management.............. 2 knowledgeable about local practices and
specific environmental conditions.
Management
Training for Villages........................ 3

Clean Water Supply

in Tumbang Napoi........................... 4

UNIDO Mercury
Projects Begins............................... 4
Although the local pig variety is relatively easy to look after, and is well-adapted
to local conditions, simple techniques can boost growth and reduce mortality.
IFC Promotes
Supply-Chain Approach.................. 4

Agenda for 3rd Quarter.................... 4 Collaborative Conservation Management

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

The Appropriate Technology Development Agency

from LIPI, the Indonesian Science Institute, will
follow up from an earlier reconnaissance visit to
Tumbang Napoi to assist in installing a clean water
supply system utilizing the hydraulic ram or
‘hydram’ mechanical pump. Out of four villages
visited previously, Tumbang Napoi was the only
one that had suitable conditions for the hydram
technology.

In 2001, YTS provided equipment to four villages

in the upper Kahayan River, but Napoi was the only
one where the system functioned successfully. At
the time, villagers built a dam to supply water to
the pumps, plus an 8000 litre storage tank, and
they installed two hydram pumps. For a while the
system provided clean water to 30 out of a total of
180 households. Due to poor maintenance and
poor overall support from the community, the
system broke down and was never repaired.
YTS is training and coaching villagers in simple management techniques that
will help them to oversee smooth implementation of their village development plan.
The current initiative has full support from the
village, as it will provide everyone with ready access
Starting in May this year, YTS began providing management training to to clean water. In preparation for the arrival of the
management groups in 12 villages. The aim of the training is to help develop experts, villagers are repairing the dam, cleaning
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
difficult to mobilize participants. People want to see very clear
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 The combined team of experts from LIPI, district government, and YTS
carefully supported by YTS staff in the early stages. just returning from reviewing existing hydram installations in four villages.

This year could be quite decisive for YTS because it will be the first full year in up the water tank, and taking care of other technical
which all of these new components – interest groups, management groups, requirements.
village funds, outside experts – will come into play. Having 12 villages is a big
plus because we can then see a reasonable variety of responses and As most of the existing equipment is unrepairable,
interactions. Some villages already have quite strong internal solidarity, the LIPI team will replace most of it during their
whereas in others there are some social divisions which may impede the visit in July. The team will also make sure social
forward progress of the overall approach. arrangements to run and maintain the system are
well taken care of. This was one of the problems
The ultimate aim is for villages to assume full responsibility for their own that led to the demise of the system – only a few
development; to be proactive in making choices and decisions; and to be people benefited. This time, access points will be
relatively free from dependence on outside agencies, including ourselves. shared by two or three households, and they will
We hope through the training that individuals will emerge who can take over be distributed throughout the entire village
responsibility for spreading these skills and knowledge, and ensure that the
content is socially and culturally appropriate. Once this happens, YTS can Local government support will be required to
step back and help out more with strategic needs, such as influencing oversee smooth running of the system, and to pay
government policy to be more community-friendly. for providing water supply to public facilities, such
as the school and government offices. Several
At this point we can’t say that this approach will be successful, but it is government staff are expected to observe the
encouraging that people are willing to give it a try. 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