Multistakeholder forestry program: milestones and challenges in 2010: external evaluators’ review

The partnership for governance reform in Indonesia (Kemitraan) continues to run the only forest governance programme (namely FGP) that bridges civil society with government partners in sustainable forest management efforts. The FGP, funded by Norway, aims to improve forest governance for increased benefits to primary stakeholders in sustainable forest management, and hopes to contribute to Indonesia’s effort to reduce carbon emissions.

Summary of findings:

• there is evidence of good governance of organisations around forest management and climate, but tenure remain insecure
• gender mainstreaming has been set up, but needs a stronger push in programming and implementation
• there is a lack of communication and information systems for knowledge and learning, as well as lack of clear sustainability measures.
  

The authors relate the following recommendations for the partnership:

• the range of policy and best practice ‘intervention’ will need to focus on livelihoods and markets
• conducting a strategic planning scheme that includes key multi-institutional leader-participants to determine the extent of reversal of deforestation trends and reduction of poverty levels is suggested
• it is advised to build gender programming around the needs of the women farm/agro-forestry partners
• Kemitraan must maintain its portfolio of good partnerships, correct impression of being ‘donor’, and build joint ownership of goals and core strategies
• Kemitraan should set itself up to manage strong formal institutional partnerships with regional delivery mechanisms which are key to local community work and trust-building
• it should also do the same regarding multi-stakeholder policy groups, and multi-layer governmental engagements.