New forestry-linked resettlement program planned

New forestry-linked resettlement program planned

JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to launch a new
resettlement program in which four acres of forest land will be
parceled out to participants.

Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo disclosed
yesterday that the plan, which will begin next year, will send
transmigrants into forestry areas that have been neglected by
concessionaires.

Each family of settlers will be given four hectares of forest
land on which they will replant trees and from where they will
derive their livelihood eventually by selling the timber, Siswono
told reporters after reporting to President Soeharto at the
Merdeka Palace.

One site could contain as much as 10,000 hectares of forest
which mean it could accommodate up to 2,500 people, he said,
pointing out that the program follows the way Japan manages its
forest, by parceling it out to smallholders.

This is a new addition to the various transmigration programs
run by the government. Earlier programs were linked to plantation
estates, fishery estates and forestry estates. The difference
between the new program and the forestry estate program is that
the settlers get to own the forest land in the case of the
former, while in the case of forestry estate program the settlers
are simply employed by a timber company.

If each plot is planted by trees 14 meters apart, that means
each family of settlers could plant 196 trees on their four
hectare plot. If each hectare could produce 100 cubic meters of
wood each year, then each family could earn Rp 4 million each
year. In addition, the family could also plant cash crops in
between the trees to generate additional income.

Each location of 10,000 hectares will be able to produce one
million cubic meters of wood each year. This means that if the
program works well, Indonesia will not need to give out
concessionaires to big timber companies anymore. In the future
these transmigrants should be able to supply Indonesia's needs of
around 37 million cubic meters of wood.

He allayed the concerns of environmentalists by stressing that
the transmigrants will be allocated only forest land and grass
land neglected by previous concessionaires. "The program will
enrich the forest, rehabilitating forest land to its former
state."

Each location will be managed by a forestry company which
would provide settlers with managerial assistance. A timber
company will buy the wood from the settlers.

The government has already designated four areas to launch the
new transmigration program. They are in Perleuih in Aceh which
will be managed by PT Richardson Siberida, in Riau managed by PT
Siberida Wana Sejahtera and PT Sebuntai, in East Kalimantan
managed by PT Kumahdi and Mandai in West Kalimantan managed by PT
Lahan Mahkota.

Siswono said that given that it would take 16 years to turn
grass land into a forest, the settlers would be given an
additional two hectares of land on which they would plant cash
crops for their livelihood before the forest generates an income.

The minister also reported that the government is finding it
more and more difficult to find fertile land to clear for
transmigration purposes. Most of the fertile land is already in
use.

The government hopes to draw in private companies to join in
the endeavor, allowing them to develop large scale plantations
and then parcel them out to settlers who will cultivate the area.

The government is also working on credit schemes for settlers
to pay their way into owning the area eventually, he added.

Siswono yesterday also reported to the President about the
move to resettle 6,662 families to make way for a huge reservoir
in Jati Gede in West Java.

He said so far 3,665 families have accepted the government
offer to resettle while the rest are still holding out.

He emphasized that the reservoir is badly needed in the area
which constantly suffers a lack of water during the dry season
and flooding during the rainy season. (emb)