False accusations?<\/p>\n
Forest fires and the dense smoke which they cause happen
\nalmost every year. What is also routine are the accusations that
\nare hurled at the traditional farmers who practice shifting
\nagriculture. The reason is that these groups, which usually
\nconsist of local people, do their land clearing by burning. But
\nare the accusations justified?<\/p>\n
It may be useful to consider the research findings of the
\nIndonesian Secretariat for Cooperation in Forest Conservation
\n(SKEPHI). According to this non-governmental organization the
\nacreage of the land burned by these farmers amounts to only 2.1
\npercent of the total that is destroyed. Agricultural estates must
\ntake the greatest share of the blame (60 percent), industrial
\nforest estates come next (37 percent). Both of these are mostly
\nowned by private entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, according to SKEPHI data, forest fires are
\nconcentrated in Lampung (52 percent), followed by Central Java
\n(17 percent) and East Java (16 percent). Those three provinces
\nare certainly not places that are inhabited by farmers practicing
\nshifting agriculture. What does this mean? Simple: The
\naccusations that those farmers are the culprits must be taken
\ninto doubt. This kind of doubt was also expressed earlier by the
\nMinister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo.<\/p>\n
One could argue about the SKEPHI data. The fact, however, is
\nthat practitioners of shifting agriculture have been burning
\ntracts of forests for hundreds of years. Why then, have forest
\nfires become so much more widespread only during the past five
\nyears? Because the numbers of farmers engaging in the practice
\nhave drastically multiplied? Are they clearing land with
\nincreased aggression? Not likely.<\/p>\n
Therefore, it could be that the increase in the numbers and
\nextent of the forest fires is due to the rapid rise of new land
\nclearing efforts. At present, 600,000 to one million hectares of
\nland is cleared each year. To cite data compiled by Prof. Dr.
\nHerman Haeruman, a forestry expert at the Bogor Agricultural
\nUniversity (IPB), most of that land is cleared by burning. The
\nreality is that this is the easiest method to clear land.<\/p>\n
Our experiences of the past few years should have taught us to
\nswiftly prevent such fires. The management of our forests --
\nespecially by concessionaires -- should be improved immediately.
\nAnd what is even more important, strict control over the way our
\nforests are managed must be exerted immediately.<\/p>\n
-- Republika, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/false-accusations-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }