Decentralization of Forest Management, Local Institutional Capacity and its Effect on Access of Local People to Forest Resources: The Case of West Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

"This paper studies the capacity of local institutions to receive forest management right in West Sumatra, Indonesia, where local institutions have existed before the enactment of decentralization. We carried out focus group discussions to asess their capacity and a survey to learn its effect to households’ access to forest. From these field works, we found that most local institutions are not ready to fully absorb forest management rights transfer. They lack capabilities to formulate regulation and negotiation processes against disputed issues which lead to conflict. The conflicts rose among people, among local institutions, and between local institution and local government after decentralization took place. Consequently, households are facing uncertainty in access to forest resources. Therefore, the powerful households get higher benefit than the poors indicating continuation of elite capture even after nearly one decade of implementation of decentralization policy."