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Looking back, looking forward Ecosystem Aliance (EA) Indonesia Program Partners Annual Meeting

 

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Participants from all around Indonesia shared their expectations, experiences, and lessons learned during the course of the project. Maintaining and improving collaborations and decreasing the gaps of capacity and information among partners were among the participants' expectations stated in the beginning of the meeting. They are 21 participants who joined discussions in 2 days meeting of Indonesian EA partners at Cemara Hotel, Jakarta (8 - 9 June 2015).

Discussions on experiences and lessons learned were divided into 2 topics; efforts on improving people access and tenure over land and improving people livelihoods.

On tenure programs, achievements during the program were increased people participation; established collaboration among parties to support community based natural resources management (CBNRM), adopted CBNRM schemes by local government. While in livelihood programs, achievements were increased people participation, established collaboration among parties to support people's NTFP, strengthened peoples' livelihood, diversified peoples' products, developed social entrepreneurship and established “buy to donations” strategy in peoples' product marketing.

However, in both programs; the return of conservation trends, weak regulation on pro-people budgeting, not legalized people tenure rights; and the fact that even if the higher level government has the political will to support pro-people policies, the lower level government does not necessarily have similar intentions, are among the challenges to deal with.

Among the lessons learned for both programs, there are; improved local economy serves as a helpful tool to advocate on peoples management area, local people exposure to different events increase their confidence, the need for publication to support partners' advocacy works, and that the local government has a key role in the efforts to improve people's tenure right and livelihoods.

Other than that, there were also presentations from partners. The Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity (TEEB) - presented by NTFP Indonesia, is aimed to understand people's perception and their existing use of ecosystem and to calculate ecosystem economic value by using total economic values approach. Other than this, there was Strategic Environmental Assessment by Sawit Watch, Sustainable Livelihood Initiatives and Models by NTFP EP Indonesia, Integrated Water Resource Management - Negotiated Approach by Telapak, Indonesian Land Tenure Policy development by WARSI, and Integrated Algae System by Yadupa.

By the end of the meeting, all participants were committed to continue their partnership although EA in The Netherland will be dissolved by the end of 2015. This was in line with participants expectations expressed in the first day. Oslan from Walhi was appointed by the forum to serve as the leader. Unique strategic value of partnership due to difference in partners' advocacy approach and stakeholders to work with; a place to learn cross level efforts of EA partners; to continue the initiatives that have been initiated were among the reasons behind the commitment.

In their closing speech, EA the Netherland representatives expressed their appreciation for the fruitful - 10 years collaboration and their hope for other collaboration in the future.

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