Preventing Fires, Eventing Farmers in Managing Land Without Burning with YKAN’s Assistance

Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) is supporting farmer groups in Malikian Village, Mempawah Hilir Subdistrict, Mempawah Regency, West Kalimantan, to practice sustainable agriculture on peatlands without burning. This assistance aims to reduce the frequent occurrence of land fires in the area, especially during the dry season.

Syahrin, a farmer from Malikian, mentioned that YKAN’s guidance covers everything from land clearing without burning to preparing agricultural necessities using local resources. "We make our fertilizer and pesticides from materials available in our village," said Syahrin.

According to Syahrin, the tradition of land clearing through burning has been passed down for generations within his village and nearby areas. Despite existing bans, the practice continues due to a lack of guidance. "Now, with YKAN's assistance, we are attending field schools and gaining various knowledge. We expect that by next year, our gardens will yield ginger, corn, watermelon, and other crops that we are currently planting," he added.

By practicing sustainable agriculture, farmers no longer need to move from one plot to another, reducing the potential for new land clearing through burning. Dr. Israr Albar, Head of the Forest Fire Control Sub-Directorate at the Ministry of Forestry, stated that YKAN’s support in Mempawah aligns with the government’s innovation to control forest and land fires through the Land Clearing Without Burning (PLTB) program.

He noted that the government continues to promote this innovation, especially in fire-prone provinces. "Approximately 44 percent of Mempawah’s area consists of peatlands with depths ranging from 4 to 10 meters. This makes the region highly susceptible to fires during the dry season. We know that peatland fires are a major source of emissions, hence protecting peat from burning is crucial," he emphasized.

Dr. Nisa Novita, Senior Manager of Forestry Carbon and Climate Change at YKAN, added that in Mempawah, YKAN, along with the community, has built several canal blocks to help rewet degraded peatlands and reduce the rate of peat decomposition. Additionally, Fire-Aware Communities (Masyarakat Peduli Api (MPA)) have been established to help tackle land fires.

"Forest fires, which typically occur from July to October in West Kalimantan, not only increase greenhouse gas emissions and disrupt wildlife habitats but also negatively impact human health and cause significant economic losses. Therefore, community-based restoration through canal blocking, reforestation, rehabilitation of damaged land, and the application of sustainable agriculture are necessary to reduce pressure on peat forest deforestation," explained Nisa.

Integrated Peatland Restoration

Peat ecosystems offer significant economic, social, and ecological benefits. One key environmental role of peat is its ability to absorb and store carbon. However, peat ecosystems face ongoing threats of degradation due to drainage from canal construction, illegal logging, and land fires.

According to data from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) in 2024, at least 13,054.70 hectares of forests and land in West Kalimantan burned between January and August 2024. Of this total, 1,000.91 hectares were peatlands.

Asep Hidayat, Head of the Center for Ecological and Ethnobiological Research at the National Research and Innovation Agency, stated that his organization, together with YKAN, is currently implementing Peat-CORE (Peat Conservation for Resilience), a program focused on conserving peatland ecosystems to enhance community resilience, especially in controlling peatland fires.

Peat-CORE focuses on governance improvement, capacity building, and the implementation of innovations in greenhouse gas emission research. Asep hopes that Peat-CORE will facilitate the effective integration of efforts to protect peat ecosystems.

"We have conducted assessments, and the data from Malikian has been thoroughly evaluated and will continue to be updated. This data, in addition to scientific reporting, will support the strengthening of programs at the village, district, and provincial levels. This will foster active collaboration among government entities, external organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other institutions," concluded Asep.