To promote community empowerment as part of efforts aimed at increasing community income and improving livelihoods, the Papua Provincial Forestry and Environment Service, working in conjunction with FORCLIME, held a training session on mushroom farming for forest farmer groups from 4 - 8 December 2023 in Sabron Village, Jayapura Regency, Papua. The training session was opened by the Head of the Papua Province Forestry and Environment Service and was attended by 19 participants, nine of whom were female.

During the training session, participants were taught how to cultivate mushrooms through the use of simple technologies and without pesticides in order to ensure that such cultivation is environmentally friendly. Session participants also learned how to produce planting media from sago waste and wood sawdust, both of which are abundant in the village. In addition, the participants also learned how to implement processes of inoculation and incubation.

“Through this training session, we have now learned how to prepare planting media, including the processes that are involved in the placement of planting media into polybags, the inoculation process and the incubation process. However, we will require help procuring equipment and seeds, which remain an obstacle for the community in terms of the cultivation of mushrooms," explained Mrs. Rahel Yewi, one of the training participants.

Now that the training has concluded, each village will form mushroom farming groups. Additionally, further training sessions on the processing of mushrooms after harvesting will be held in order to increase the values of the villagers’ products with an eye on increasing local incomes.

For more information, please contact:
Hana Soakakone, intern from Cenderawasih University
Rut M Ohoiwutun, Junior Adviser for Community Forestry and Hutan Adat, Papua
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Tanah Papua

Created: 19 December 2023

In order to accelerate the implementation of social forestry programmes within Papua Province, following the stipulation and promulgation of Presidential Regulation Number 28 of 2023 on Integrated Planning for the Acceleration of Social Forestry Management, the Papua Province Forestry and Environment Service (DKLH) held a coordination meeting with the Working Group for the Acceleration of Social Forestry on 12 December 2023 in Jayapura City, Papua Province. The meeting was opened by the Head of the Forestry Planning Division of the DKLH, Dr. Estiko Tri Wiradyo, SH. M.Sc., who addressed the Region III Section of the Center for Social Forestry and Environmental Partnerships (BPSKL) Maluku Papua, as well as DKLH’s various development partners, including FORCLIME. During the meeting, two topics regarding Social Forestry and Regional Development within the Papua Region against the background of Presidential Regulation 28 of 2023 were presented by the Head of Section III BPSKL Maluku Papua, Mr. Nelson Kaimana, S.Hut., M.Sc. In addition, a presentation was also made on the topic of Sustainable Forestry Development Policy within Papua Province by Mr. Ridwan Admojo from DKLH.

As a follow-up to this activity, a meeting will be held to formulate the overall concept of a Governor's Decree that will specifically address the Papua Province Social Forestry Acceleration Working Group, as well as the preparation of a work plan.

For more information, please contact:
Anna Manyakori, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua Province
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Tanah Papua

Created: 15 December 2023

In an effort to promote sustainable forest management through a targeted economic empowerment framework, the Wasur National Park, supported by FORCLIME, held a special Promotion Week for the Cultivation of Endemic Wasur Orchids in Wasur Village, Merauke Regency, South Papua from 8 – 9 December 2023. The Wasur Orchid Promotion Week was aimed at the promotion of cultivated orchid plants developed by the Bualas Community as non-timber forest products (NTFPs), which have high sales values capable of boosting the local family economy. However, the week also represented a show of support for knowledge exchanges relating to the development of orchid cultivation and, in turn, hopefully improving the overall welfare of customary communities residing in the Wasur National Park.

The Wasur Orchid Promotion Week not only offered an opportunity to introduce Merauke orchids to a wider community but was also a communication forum through which various opportunities and challenges could be discussed as a part of efforts aimed at the preservation of orchids as plants that have economic value for the peoples who have been involved in this business for a long time, namely the Bualas Community. In this regard, a discussion was held on the first day of the event and featured a speech from Mr. Yarman, S.Hut., M.P in his role as Head of the Wasur National Park on the topic of the Importance of Preserving the Wasur Orchid. In addition, Mr. Benhur Rentandantu, Head of the Merauke Regency Tourism and Culture Office, made a presentation on Economic Opportunities for Orchid Wasur as a Tourist Destination. Meanwhile, the discussions that were held during the event resulted in the following conclusions:

1. Orchid management as a source of economic potential for the community of Wasur Village can still be pursued through licensing within the Special National Park Zone.
2. Efforts to promote orchid plants should be implemented in line with market opportunities, which are currently quite high.
3. Efforts to utilize orchid plants in order to boost the economies of conservation areas should be carried out in accordance with applicable licensing procedures so that their sustainability can be maintained.

The hope is that in the wake of the Wasur Orchid Cultivation Promotion Week, local communities will be able to increase the incomes that are generated through their cultivation results. In addition, it is also hoped that the interest and understanding of the communities of Merauke will be increased in order to ensure the protection and conservation of plants throughout the Wasur National Park area.

For more information, please contact:
Rut M Ohoiwutun, Junior Adviser for Community Forestry and Hutan Adat, Papua
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Tanah Papua

Created: 12 December 2023