Watershed Rehabilitation and Cisadane Community Empowerment Cooperation between Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara and Multi Bintang Indonesia

In an effort to restore the quality of water sources in the Cisadane area, Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) is collaborating with Multi Bintang Indonesia (MBI) to carry out a rehabilitation program for the Cisadane watershed which will cover a total area of 200 hectares. and do it gradually.

This program was symbolically launched by planting trees with the local community on Thursday, December 3, 2020 in Cibunian Village and Purwabakti Village, Cisuren Village, Bogor, West Java, which are part of the upstream Cisadane Watershed. The trees planted are wood and fruit types, which have conservation value as well as economic value for the community. The presence of this variety can help conservation efforts in the upstream area of the Cisadane watershed, and the harvest can be an alternative source of additional income for local residents.

The Cisadane watershed is one of 15 national priority watersheds, such as Citarum and Ciliwung, which flows in three provinces, namely West Java, Banten, and DKI Jakarta. Among the 11 Cisadane sub-watersheds, Upper Cisadane has the largest area, which is 44,142 hectares. According to Bappenas data (2018), 21.52% of the Upper Cisadane land is actually a forest area for water and soil conservation. However, population growth as well as high activity and economy trigger changes in land use.

“The Cisadane watershed is the foundation for 1.7 million people as a provider of clean water sources for agriculture, livestock, industry, and daily living needs, which are channeled through PDAM. However, the water quality in Cisadane is now categorized as severely polluted. The land changes that occur only leave 36.6% of the natural forest area, which has a direct impact on water quality. On the other hand, it also reduces the ecological value and increases carbon emissions," said Ratih Loekito, Director of Development & Marketing of Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara.

Talking about the availability of clean water, of course, we cannot only focus on the amount of water, but also the protection and management of water sources, as well as equitable distribution of water. That is why YKAN and MBI formed a partnership to develop an integrated and sustainable management of water resources, which considers various natural factors from environmental conditions and at the same time takes into account the economic and social needs of the community.

"Hopefully, this effort can involve other stakeholders in the Cisadane watershed so that together they can take care of each other and get benefits. This is a collaborative effort. YKAN has also initiated efforts to build multi-stakeholder collaboration through the Water Coalition, in which MBI is one of the founding partners," added Ratih.

“As the largest beer producer in Indonesia, water is the main raw material for Multi Bintang. We are committed to the conservation of water resources, and through various initiatives, we have so far succeeded in returning 354,000 hl of water to the ground (35.4 million l, or the equivalent of 354,000 people using water per day), including in the Cisadane watershed. Our target is to reach 3 million hl (300 million l) per year by 2023, and to ensure this restoration effort is successful, Multi Bintang recognizes the need to establish partnerships and actively involve key stakeholders, one of which is through collaboration with YKAN,” said Corporate Affairs Director of Multi Bintang Indonesia Ika Noviera.

Recognizing the important role of the community, YKAN and MBI also jointly empower local communities through the framework of the SIGAP (Inspiring Community Action for Change) approach that YKAN has developed since 2010 to improve and strengthen governance at the village level. Thus, the community also has a commitment related to water conservation and plays a role in village development plans.

The first location in this land rehabilitation program is in the Gunung Batu area and its surroundings. This land rehabilitation activity was also initiated by holding a thanksgiving activity for residents who still adhere to the ancestral tradition, Sunda Buhun/Ancient. Through the Praise Prize tradition, residents express respect and gratitude, led by village elders, and equipped with various traditional snacks such as rice tumpeng (congcot) and various cakes, which are consumed with all residents present. The entire series of activities is carried out by implementing the COVID-19 prevention health protocol.

About Multi Bintang Indonesia

PT Multi Bintang Indonesia Tbk., part of The HEINEKEN Company, is a leading and responsible beverage company that is proud to be part of Indonesia's 89-year history. As a producer of Bintang Beer, an iconic beer brand in Indonesia, Multi Bintang also offers a portfolio of other beer brands such as Heineken (the world's premium beer brand), Bintang Radler with low alcohol content, and non-alcoholic beverages such as Bintang Radler 0.0%, Bintang Zero 0.0%, Green Sands, as well as Strongbow, cider brand no. 1 in the world. Multi Bintang Indonesia was awarded the Top Capital Market in the Food & Beverage sector in 2017, Stellar Workplace Awards 2017, Sustainable Business Awards 2016-2018, and Bir Bintang was awarded as the Most Valuable Indonesian Brand 2013-2019.