Program Overview
Forests and tree provide food, woods, energy, and other product for people across the globe. Directly and indirectly, forest contribute to food security and nutrition as well as provide income and employment for many people, specifically for the most vulnerable group (HLPE, 2017). Directly, forest and tree provide nutrient-rich foods which linked to greater dietary diversity and higher consumption of fruit and vegetables (Ickowitz, 2022). Indirectly, forest can also provide income because people around the forest can collect firewood and charcoal and sell it. The income provided from forest can also support food security indirectly.
However, Indonesia lost 29.4 Mha of tree cover from 2001 to 2022. The number is equivalent with a 18% decrease in tree cover since 2000 and 21.1 Gt CO2e emissions (GFW, 2022). As a result, deforestation threaten food security in Indonesia and contribute to higher emissions. There are at least two big factors that determine land use change in Indonesia. First, population growth that increase demand for land to provide food and housing. Second, commodity boom, which made CPO price accelerated more than ever, increased demand for plantation land (Juniyati, et al., 2021). As a result, people’s access to forest decrease as the impact of deforestation.
Therefore, Government introduces social forestry to acknowledge the problem. Social forestry is expected to support forest conservation as well as food security in Indonesia because local communities have access to manage and protect local forest (Dean, et al., 2022). On the ground, although social forestry ideally will contribute to people’s access to manage and protect local forest, but the implementation is remained unclear and demand for further study. Hence, WRI Indonesia conduct research project called “The roles of social forestry in climate adaptation and food security“ to deep dive through field experience how we can support food security through social forestry management. The study will be accelerated through the formulation of relevant policy advocacy to support food security by strengthening social forestry management.
There are several possible policy advocacies that we might implemented subject to the result of our research. First, policy advocacy to use village transfer fund (Dana Desa) to support social forestry activity that will improve food security. Second, policy advocacy to strengthen social forestry management in Kabupaten or provincial level. Third, policy advocacy through working group in social forestry (Kelompok Kerja Perhutanan Sosial) by facilitating policy drafting that will support food security in social forestry management.
Food and Land Use coalition (FOLU)
The Food and Land Use coalition (FOLU) is an initiative that focuses on an integrated, sustainable transformation of global food and land use systems to support delivery of global agreements including the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. The Coalition brings together stakeholders across businesses. The approach will consider the many dimensions and perspectives of biodiversity, climate, agriculture and food production, rural prosperity, supply chain management, product formulation, diets, health and nutrition, loss and waste and security of supply. The project works under the umbrella of Indonesia’s Low Carbon Development alongside its sistering initiatives such as Indonesia Intact Rainforest Partnership (IIRP), Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land use, and Energy (FABLE) Consortium, and beyond. In this second phase, the project is based on five workstreams based on the major expected outcomes: (1) improved food quality (securing availability of healthy, nutritious, and locally diverse food), (2) improved food supply & access throughout the agriculture and seafood value chains, (3) reduced per capita food loss and waste, both from supply and demand side, (4) nature conservation and restoration in sustainable jurisdictions, backed by permanent moratoriums, and (5) integrated, comprehensive, spatially explicit land use and marine planning at national and sub-national levels. In addition to working at the national level with engagement with decision maker and stakeholders on the Action Partnership and the formulation of Action Roadmaps to operationalize the Action Agenda, FOLU Indonesia also focuses its work on deep dive in selected provinces.
As the Social Forestry (SF) policy has in recent years sped up the provision of SF permits to the IPLCs – it provides an opportunity for communities to manage the adjacent forest areas. The link between SF implementation and local food security, however, remains a knowledge gap. Through collaboration between IDRC and IPLC project, we aim to amplify our impact in two aspects. The first is through our research project which aims to collect evidence from the field and commit analyses to fill the gap of knowledge regarding SF implementation and food security. This study will be done in two provinces: Aceh and West Sumatra. Second is through capacity building activities especially amongst youth to become more aware not just regarding SF but also climate change issues in general. We are hopeful by bringing more awareness to the youth, they could play a more active role in the development of social forestry implementation and become the agent of change in society.
Job Highlight
Technical Officer for Food System will support the Policy Advocacy Specialist for Food System in policy drafting and policy advocacy in the project locations (Nagari or Kabupaten Level) based on the study from LP2M and QBAR. The process includes, but not limited to, desk analysis, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and key informant interview with local communities, local government, and relevant institutions in Social Forestry space. Policy drafting and policy advocacy is expected to emphasize the important roles of social forestry to support sustainable food system in West Sumatera, especially in the specific project locations.
Technical Officer for Food System will work together with Policy Advocacy Specialist especially in preparing FGD, key informant interview, provide relevant data collection and other activities to support policy drafting and policy advocacy in each project location. Along with the Senior Researcher and in consultation with WRI Indonesia’a regional team in West Sumatra, the candidate needs to maintain close relationships with local partners to ensure support from them regarding the policy we advocated.
This post will report directly to FOLU Manager while working closely and collaboratively with West Sumatera and Riau Senior Program Lead, Environmental Economist, Food System Specialist, and the rest of project research team. The post holder will be based in Padang, West Sumatera with high travel requirement to each project location within the region.
What You Will Do
What You Will Need
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in sociology, anthropology, law, regional development, economics, environmental studies or any other relevant subjects is preferable.
Experiences:
Minimum of 2(two)years of professional working experience in research related to community development and policy advocacy based on research. Prior engagement in food system, forestry and environmental focus areas is desirable. Experience with West Sumatera customs is a plus.
Skills and abilities:
Deliverables
Duration
15 September 2023 - 29 February 2024
Timeline and Terms of Payment
Consultant will receive a compensation upon completion of each deliverable with terms of payment as follows.
Deliverables
Timeline
Payment (%)
Summary report of literature review in food system, social forestry, and policy advocacy, includes field assessment in project locations
End of September 2023
5%
The complete list of stakeholders in the project location
End of October 2023
10%