National Lowland Development Strategy
- Type of project
- Location
- Kalimantan (Indonesia)
- Continent
- Asia
- Company
- Euroconsult Mott MacDonald
- Client
- Government of Indonesia
- Period
- March 2010 - March 2012
- Contract value
- euro 933,600
- Objective
The Consulting Services for the Water Management for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptive Development in the Lowlands (WACLIMAD) project involves administrative support and technical assistance to facilitate a national dialogue with policy-makers and stakeholders on the formulation of a National Lowland Development Strategy (NLDS).
Project information
The condition of the Indonesian coastal lowlands is considered critical, both from a national and global perspective. Peatlands are under severe pressure, contributing to carbon emissions and haze, and leading to international disputes. Biodiversity values are rapidly degrading, including ‘protected’ areas. Smallholder agriculture in lowlands is also declining due to a lack of inputs and years of relative neglect.
At the same time, lowlands are increasingly targeted for new agricultural development, for food-crop production and large-scale oil palm plantings. The combination of climate change and sea level rise presents further challenges to a system already under pressure.
During 2007-2008, the Dutch Government financed two strategic and closely related lowland development projects in Indonesia – the Master Plan study for the Ex-Mega-Rice Project (EMRP) in Central Kalimantan, and the National Lowland Development Strategy (NLDS).
The aim of the NLDS study was to develop a roadmap towards a strategy for all of Indonesia’s lowlands. NLDS attracted the attention of donors – notably World Bank and the Netherlands Government – who expressed interest in developing the full strategy. This study resulted in the formulation of the WACLIMAD dialogue and technical assistance.
Description of project
WACLIMAD builds on the conclusions of the NLDS study. A major recommendation was to view lowlands and their diverse land uses as a single and unique system that warrants an integrated management approach. The analysis also indicated the need for developing an enabling framework for lowland development, next to formulating development strategies based on solid information, embracing agricultural development and conservation.The main focus of harmonisation of the lowland development framework is to be on:
i) Policy and legal measures that enable strict control and land-use planning, and support proposed institutional arrangements for lowland management;
ii) Institutional arrangements for coordination, multi-sector planning, community involvement, and ongoing reforms; and
iii) Planning that is resource-based rather than sector-driven, based on accurate field inventories, sound science, and well-informed policy decisions.
The main WACLIMAD objective for the Government of Indonesia (GoI) is to develop a formal National Lowland Development Strategy, addressing the above issues. This will be a long-term process, while the current contract for assistance covers the initial 2 years.
The lowland policy dialogue is lead by the GoI, through (i) a Coordination Team consisting of Director Generals and Deputies of involved Departments, chaired by Bappenas, (ii) the WACLIMAD Secretariat consisting of Directors of the same Departments, chaired by Bappenas, and assisted by the TA Consultant, and (iii) Working Groups for Sumatera, Kalimantan and Papua islands, with a broad stakeholder representation.
The national dialogue will be supported by technical, socio-economic and institutional assessments by the Consultants of representative lowland regions on the islands of Sumatera and Kalimantan. Similarly, the proposed Lowland Management Plan for Tanah Papua, and the ongoing Master Plan activities in Central Kalimantan, will be essential contributions to steer the policy dialogue. A national lowland database will be set up.
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