Developing Villages with Leading Social Forestry Commodities

Leading commodities play a vital role in the Integrated Area Development (IAD) of the Kayan Landscape in Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan Province. These include cocoa, durian, langsat, and coffee.

"Innovations like this are what we hope to see emerge from the establishment of IAD agreements in Indonesia," said Catur Endah Prasetiani, Director of Social Forestry Business Development at the Ministry of Forestry, during the 34th Thought Leaders Forum (TLF) themed "Supporting Integrated Regional Development Based on Social Forestry through the Development of Leading Commodities" in Jakarta, Wednesday, 25 June 2025.

The IAD in the Kayan Landscape was signed in December 2023, making it the ninth area in Indonesia, The presence of the IAD is reinforced by Presidential Regulation No. 28 of 2023 concerning Integrated Planning for the Acceleration of Social Forestry Management. Catur explained that based on this presidential regulation, IAD refers to integrated regional development based on social forestry. This means that various leading commodities within social forestry areas are managed within a single landscape, with strengthened commodity clustering, logistical efficiency, and improved market access. This approach also promotes 4P partnerships (People–Private–Public Partnership), with Social Forestry Business Groups (KUPS) as the primary actors.

Catur further explained that the implementation of IAD is expected to encourage active roles from local governments and stakeholders in supporting the strengthening of the social forestry ecosystem. She emphasized that collaboration within the IAD enables the optimal development of all potential social forestry resources, thereby contributing to food self-sufficiency and enhancing community welfare.

Bulungan Regent Syarwani added that the central government’s spirit aligns with his regional government’s strategy. "We have the motto 'Tenguyun Hutanku,'" said Syarwani at the same event. "Tenguyun," from the Bulungan language, refers to the spirit of togetherness in achieving desired goals. Syarwani believes that "Tenguyun Hutanku" can conserve and utilize Bulungan's forests without neglecting its diversity and local wisdom.

This spirit is embedded in the IAD Kayan Landscape, which spans 18 villages over approximately 568,182 hectares. The local government, along with strategic partners including the Nusantara Nature Conservation Foundation (YKAN), has mapped out development potentials in this landscape. Agroforestry, silvopasture, non-timber forest products, and ecotourism are ready for development in this half-million-hectare area. This development involves bureaucrats, communities, academics, the private sector, and the media.

So far, the Bulungan Government has implemented the Mandau Tani Program (Strategic Agricultural Development Command) – a comprehensive agricultural program aimed at achieving food sovereignty based on integrated local wisdom from upstream to downstream. Mandau Tani promotes cocoa and coffee as leading commodities. By 2022, cocoa development had reached 634 hectares, while coffee covered 308 hectares. Villages along the Kayan River are known for producing a variety of fruits, including durian, duku, lai, langsat, cempedak, kapul, longan, honey guava, and more. This area also has the potential for honey bee farming and essential oil production. These commodities can be cultivated within social forestry areas and Other Land Use Areas in the Kayan landscape.

Regent Syarwani stated that the IAD Kayan Landscape is inclusive. "It is for all, whether villages with natural resources and social forestry areas or those without," he said. Villages with limited natural resources can become hubs for integrated development activities, offering processing services and capacity-building opportunities for surrounding villages. The overarching goal of IAD Kayan Landscape, according to Regent Syarwani, is the "one village, one product" program.

Head of the North Kalimantan Provincial Forestry Service, Nur Laila, praised Bulungan Regency’s achievements with the IAD Kayan Landscape. The Provincial Forestry Service is ready to provide support through institutional capacity building and extension services to enhance social forestry commodities. "We hope the County Government will continue to synergize, especially with such outstanding support from the Regent," she said at the same event.

YKAN’s Terrestrial Director, Ruslandi, explained the importance of the Kayan Landscape. The 576-kilometer-long Kayan River is the lifeblood of North Kalimantan residents. "It’s a water source, a producer of electricity, a habitat for freshwater biota, and a carrier of fertility along its course," he said.

Given its size and length, the Kayan River also faces threats from land cover changes to natural disasters. By supporting the IAD in the Kayan Landscape, we are not only preserving the forests within the Kayan River Basin but also revitalizing the economy of the surrounding communities. "When residents benefit from protecting nature, it will inevitably continue to be a sustainable place to live and earn a livelihood," said Ruslandi.