Browsing by Author "Limberg, Godwin"

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Capturing Nested Spheres of Poverty A Model for Multidimensional Poverty Analysis and Monitoring
(2007) Gonner, Christian; Haug, Michaela; Cahyat, Ade; Wollenberg, Eva; De Jong, Wil; Limberg, Godwin; Cronkleton, Peter; Moeliono, Moira; Becker, Michel
"In this paper we discuss recent trends in poverty concepts and suggest a locally adapted multidimensional model for measuring and monitoring poverty. The model comprises nested layers with subjective well-being in the centre surrounded by a core of health, wealth and knowledge, and a context that includes natural, economic, social and political spheres, as well as service and structural aspects. These nine facets of poverty cover basic needs, individual assets and capabilities, and the enabling environment that helps people escape poverty by ensuring sustainability, providing opportunities and minimising vulnerability. The model was tested in several monitoring trials and in the official poverty and well-being monitoring of Kutai Barat District, Indonesia, in early 2006. Twenty-one sub-districts covering 223 villages with more than 150 000 people were assessed. Examples drawn from this experience illustrate possible applications of the model."
Facilitating Cooperation during Times of Chaos: Spontaneous Orders and Muddling Through in Malinau District, Indonesia
(2007) Wollenberg, Eva; Iwan, Ramses; Limberg, Godwin; Moeliono, Moira; Rhee, Steve; Sudana, Made
"Adaptive management has become increasingly common where natural resource managers face complex and uncertain conditions. The collaboration required among managers and others to do adaptive management, however, is not always easy to achieve. We describe efforts to work with villagers and government officials in Malinau, East Kalimantan Indonesia, where a weak, uncertain institutional setting and complex shifting political landscape made formal cooperation among these groups for forest management problematic. Through successive trials, the team learned instead to work with and enhance a 'spontaneous order' of cooperation using four tactics: (1) continuous physical presence, (2) regular contact with the people who advised and were close to major decision makers, (3) maintenance of multiple programs to fit the needs of different interest groups, and (4) hyperflexibility in resource allocation and schedules."
Fission and Fusion: Decentralization, Land Tenure and Identity in Indonesia
(2004) Moeliono, Moira; Limberg, Godwin
From the introduction: "Decentralization in Indonesia established autonomy at district level whereby most government functions were handed (or taken) over by the district governments. One unanticipated effect was an increased eagerness for the establishment of new districts. In 2001 when the law on regional autonomy was officially implemented, Indonesia had 268 kabupaten. Although many divisions were planned, decentralization speeded up the process. Thus, within the first two years of regional autonomy, the number of districts had increased almost twofold to about 440. Similarly within the districts, sub-districts and villages have been split up dividing both territories and people, often along religious and ethnic fault lines. At the same time, however, new alliances within society are established at all levels. One powerful national level alliance is that of district governments (APKASI). Another is the alliance of adat communities (AMAN). "These two opposing movements have probably always existed as part of the struggle for control of both people and resources, but have become more fluid and visible over the last couple of years with the weakening of the Indonesian central government. Indeed globally as well, the weakening of the state has given rise to new orders in which local politics are politics of ethnicity of cultural affinities defining struggles for power (Huntington 1997). At local level, these struggles for power are observable in the way people organize themselves to use and conserve natural resources and are especially evident at the margins of the State (Wollenberg et al, forthcoming) such as in the districts of Malinau and Manggarai described in this paper. "The ongoing struggles for power in Indonesia are visible in flexible and adaptable processes of fission and fusion. Fissions, such as between natives and outsiders, are in contrast to fusions, in which different groups build alliances to gain power. Both fission and fusion occur at different levels of organization, from the local to the district as well as horizontally between groups as well as vertically. In this paper the main focus is on fission and fusion at district and community level which occurs as part of the struggle to control benefits from natural resources. Of particular interest is the fission and fusion at local level whereby the meaning of masyarakat adat, and terms denoting native such as asli are renegotiated and redefined in relation to rights over resources and the building of a local identity. "In general fission is shown to be downward in response to direct competition over benefits from land and forests. Fusion, on the other hand, appears to be an upward movement to gain political power. Political power, however, is often used to gain control over the allocation and use of available resources."
Global Aspirations to Local Actions: Can Orangutan Save Tropical Rainforest?
(2008) Purwanto, Edy; Limberg, Godwin
"Flagship species are important icons for the international conservation lobby, because they are appealing, and need intact ecosystems for their survival. Orangutans are one such flagship species. However, its habitat continues to be threatened by development plans of both governments and companies. A pulp and paper company adjacent to the Kutai national park in East Kalimantan, complained that orangutans are increasingly a problem, destroying the young acacia trees of the plantation. To explore possible solutions they initiated discussion including a range of stakeholders to develop an orangutan survival action plan. This study presents the views of stakeholders on the importance of orangutans and conservation in general. We also examine examples from elsewhere in Indonesia to analyze the different approaches used by and incentives for stakeholders to participate in saving the flagship species and its habitat. "We conclude that international lobby and attention to flagship species does not reach the local stakeholders nor automatically translate into similar vision of stakeholders closest linked to the use and management of the flagship species habitat. This lack of interest and understanding leads to denial of the problem, limited understanding of the extend of the problem or partial solutions. International lobby will put pressure on big companies to adapt better practices, but the risks exists that they look for easy solutions and transfer the responsibility. The local government and population often perceive conservation as contradictionary to development and of limited direct value. "What is needed in improve joint responsibility for public good such as conservation area? A mix of attention, incentives and pressure will be needed to ensure that key stakeholders to go beyond quick and superficial solutions."
Incentives to Conserve or Convert? Can Conservation Compete with Coal in Kutai National Park?
(2008) Limberg, Godwin
"The discussions on climate change and potential mechanisms to support conservation efforts have fixed the attention on incentives to conserve and protect forests. However incentives alone will not do the job for forest conservation, what might? "We will use the case of Kutai National Park to examine the potential for incentives to boost conservation and the urgent need for simultaneously applying disincentives against conversion of the national park. Kutai NP is an extreme case: conservation values have to compete with the value of vast deposits of high grade coal (possibly in 50% of the 200, 000 ha of the NP). The Park management unit has tried to calculate the conservation benefits derived from the park ecosystem, but these values are miniscule compared to the alternative of mining. "Incentives for encroachment or even conversion of the Park are the easy accessible timber and known enormous coal deposits. These resources provide an immediate tangible benefit for the settlers in the park and the local government to exploit the park. We will show how these incentives for conversion affect local possibilities for conserving the important ecosystem of Kutai National Park. "We will then examine what mix of incentives and disincentives might provide the appropriate push to change to tide for the national park. If we are to be serious about conserving important ecosystems, incentives alone will not do the job. Some force might be needed to ensure that all stakeholders support the commitment to preserve representative example of biodiversity / ecosystems. Each stakeholder will have to make some sacrifice, e.g. settlers will have limited development options, local government have to agree to set aside some area that can not be 'developed' and the national government will have to provide subsidies as incentives to local stakeholders and ensure law enforcement."
It's Not Fair, Where is Our Share? The Implication of Small-Scale Logging for Communities' Access to Forests in Indonesia
(2004) Limberg, Godwin
"Decentralization in Indonesia has provided opportunities for communities to participate in forest management. Small timber harvest permits (in Indonesian Izin Pemungutan dan Pemanfaatan Kayu or IPPK) provided the first time villages received significant benefits from commercial timber extraction. Yet the extent of those benefits has been limited. Rent-seeking local bureaucrats, entrepreneurs and community elites at the district level have used the new opportunities to further their own interests through lucrative small-scale timber harvesting. Under these arrangements, communities receive minor cash fees, development of some village infrastructure and employment opportunities. These benefits are significant enough however to cause most community members to overlook fundamental issues of rights over and long-term access to forests. Local government attitude has been ambiguous: timber harvesting licenses were issued specifically for areas claimed as customary territories, yet the local government has been reluctant to formally recognize communities, claims to forest and land. I use the example of seven small-scale timber harvesting operations in the Malinau area of East Kalimantan (from 2000 to 2003) to describe the type and quantity of benefits communities received. I then discuss the implications of this experience for future community access to forests. The wealth accrued by local entrepreneurs and local elite may strengthen their position to gain more control over natural resources in the area. The recent experience of windfall benefits from forest exploitation might divert communities attention from securing long-term rights towards direct benefits. However decentralization provides increased possibilities for communities to seek recognition of their customary rights."
Planning Change or Changing Plans: New Opportunities and Threats for Management of Common Property in the Malinau District, East Kalimantan
(2006) Limberg, Godwin
"Decentralization and political reform in Indonesia have provided a breathing space for indigenous movements. It was expected that indigenous systems of resources management provide alternatives for more sustainable and equitable use of common property and that finally recognition could be obtained for these systems resulting in more sustainable resource use. However Indonesia is developing rapidly, and traditional systems have to adjust to changing circumstances. Are the traditional systems able to adjust while maintaining the underlying principles of sustainable use of resources, and how can their efforts be supported? Or have they been influenced fundamentally resulting in dramatic changes? "In this paper we use the experience in two communities in the Malinau district to describe the changes of the traditional management of the forests in their territory. We examine the internal factors responsible for different outcomes, as well as possibilities and pitfalls for outside parties to support communities to adjust their indigenous system to changing conditions."