Papers by retno kusumaningtyas
Tropics, 2009
Province, Indonesia, has undergone rapid change in the last few decades, with the introduction of... more Province, Indonesia, has undergone rapid change in the last few decades, with the introduction of large-scale industrial development that relies heavily on available natural resources. As a result, the possibilities for local communities to provide for themselves through agriculture and forest product gathering have greatly diminished. Against the backdrop of the recent establishment of the Tesso Nilo national park and the continuing forest degradation and forest loss in Riau Province, this study takes a look at local community agricultural practices in the area surrounding the national park. It analyses the current agricultural practices of indigenous and migrant communities (Village A and Village B respectively), the (long-term) livelihood security that these agricultural practices provide, and the relationship between current agricultural practices and natural resource degradation in and around the Tesso Nilo national park. Households in Village B derived most of their income (75%) from smallholder oil palm plantations set up through the Nucleus Estate and Smallholder (NES) program. Households in Village A derived only a small part of their income (13%) from agricultural practices related to shifting cultivation. Among the reasons identified for the inef fectiveness of the shifting cultivation practice of households in Village A are: the large-scale conversion of forest areas into plantations, logging concessions and national parks leaving no lands that can be legally accessed for shifting cultivation, continuing degradation of the forests, and an increasing population, all making available lands of adequate quality scarce. A substantial part of income for households in Village A consequently came from illegal logging (62%). In comparing analysis of the indigenous community of Village A to that of the migrant community of Village B, it can be concluded that only the establishment of sedentar y forms of agriculture can provide local c o m m u n i t i e s w i t h s u f f i c i e n t i n c o m e w h i l e simultaneously protecting remaining natural resources. However, lacking the means themselves, indigenous communities need to be given sufficient access to lands to establish new sustainable sedentar y agricultural practices, as well as adequate technical and financial suppor t in establishing them.
Journal of Tropical …, 2006
This study compared mixed species gardens in Java with those maintained by the Javanese immigrant... more This study compared mixed species gardens in Java with those maintained by the Javanese immigrants in Sumatra. Two villages (Sedayu in Lampung Province of Sumatra and Watulimo in East Java) were selected based on similarity in the ethnic backgrounds of the inhabitants and the structure and socioeconomic attributes of the mixed garden systems evaluated. Floristic richness of Sedayu gardens was lower than that of Watulimo (38 and 55 species respectively). Although the vertical (multi-tiered) and horizontal structures of the mixed species gardens at both locations were mostly similar, differences in the number of vertical strata and the suite of species were evident. Plantation crops such as Theobroma cacao and Coffea spp. formed the predominant components at Sedayu, while fruit trees dominated the Watulimo site. Relative proportion of household income generated by mixed gardening at the two locations was also variable. At Watulimo, it accounted for a meagre 2% of the total household income as against 92% in Sedayu, reflecting greater economic dependence on mixed gardens at the latter site. Although such a situation would encourage greater commercialization of the gardens, the Sedayu gardeners seemed to value the multiplicity of products from these gardens; thus making large scale shifts towards monoculture less likely.
This report has been commissioned by IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL) to prod... more This report has been commissioned by IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL) to produce a benchmark for standards that are compliant with the FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines. The benchmark focuses on the issue of avoiding deforestation and conversion caused by soy production in Europe and by soy production for exports to Europe.
The global palm oil sector faces ongoing threats to sustainability caused by deforestation, peatl... more The global palm oil sector faces ongoing threats to sustainability caused by deforestation, peatland development, labor rights violations and land right conflicts. Additionally, integrating smallholders into sustainable palm oil supply chains continues to be a challenge for the industry. Financial service providers (FSPs) could play a role in stimulating sustainability commitments from the palm oil companies they finance. Their potential influence stems from their capacity to set environmental, social and governance (ESG) conditions for financial services. This
research shows that European and US FSPs are further along than their counterparts in Asia in adopting policies that include ESG risk assessments as part of the process for providing financial services. However, attention to smallholder inclusion is insufficient in the policies of all FSPs included in this report. Differences between European
and US versus Asian FSPs in adopting ESG standards, as well as the unique markets they finance, present a risk that two parallel but separate financial systems could emerge. Efforts by both government and non governmental organizations should emphasize the prevention of a two-tiered marketplace with different quality requirements for palm oil. All actors in this sector still require a significant shift in thinking on the benefits of including ESG standards in cultivation and production processes. In palm oil producing countries, the lack of specific banking regulations emphasizing sustainability concerns regarding the sector forms a further hindrance to positive developments.
This study compared mixed species gardens in Java with those maintained by the Javanese immigrant... more This study compared mixed species gardens in Java with those maintained by the Javanese immigrants in Sumatra. Two villages (Sedayu in Lampung Province of Sumatra and Watulimo in East Java) were selected based on similarity in the ethnic backgrounds of the inhabitants and the structure and socioeconomic attributes of the mixed garden systems evaluated. Floristic richness of Sedayu gardens was lower than that of Watulimo (38 and 55 species respectively). Although the vertical (multi-tiered) and horizontal structures of the mixed species gardens at both locations were mostly similar, differences in the number of vertical strata and the suite of species were evident. Plantation crops such as Theobroma cacao and Coffea spp. formed the predominant components at Sedayu, while fruit trees dominated the Watulimo site. Relative proportion of household income generated by mixed gardening at the two locations was also variable. At Watulimo, it accounted for a meagre 2% of the total household income as against 92% in Sedayu, reflecting greater economic dependence on mixed gardens at the latter site. Although such a situation would encourage greater commercialization of the gardens, the Sedayu gardeners seemed to value the multiplicity of products from these gardens; thus making large scale shifts towards monoculture less likely.
Books by retno kusumaningtyas
This research therefore assessed the extent to which the policy sets of FSC and PEFC adhere to th... more This research therefore assessed the extent to which the policy sets of FSC and PEFC adhere to the human rights and labour rights provisions included in the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP), the ILO Fundamental Conventions, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The research included the international standards of both certification systems, their standards for Chain of Custody certification and their national standards for a number of selected countries (six for FSC and four for PEFC).
The global palm oil sector faces ongoing threats to sustainability caused by deforestation, peatl... more The global palm oil sector faces ongoing threats to sustainability caused by deforestation, peatland development, labor rights violations and land right conflicts. Additionally, integrating smallholders into sustainable palm oil supply chains continues to be a challenge for the industry. Financial service providers (FSPs) could play a role in stimulating sustainability commitments from the palm oil companies they finance. Their potential influence stems from their capacity to set environmental, social and governance (ESG) conditions for financial services. This
research shows that European and US FSPs are further along than their counterparts in Asia in adopting policies that include ESG risk assessments as part of the process for providing financial services. However, attention to smallholder inclusion is insufficient in the policies of all FSPs included in this report. Differences between European
and US versus Asian FSPs in adopting ESG standards, as well as the unique markets they finance, present a risk that two parallel but separate financial systems could emerge. Efforts by both government and nongovernmental organizations should emphasize the prevention of a two-tiered marketplace with different quality requirements for
palm oil. All actors in this sector still require a significant shift in thinking on the benefits of including ESG standards in cultivation and production processes. In palm oil producing countries, the lack of specific banking regulations emphasizing sustainability concerns regarding the sector forms a further hindrance to positive developments.
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Papers by retno kusumaningtyas
research shows that European and US FSPs are further along than their counterparts in Asia in adopting policies that include ESG risk assessments as part of the process for providing financial services. However, attention to smallholder inclusion is insufficient in the policies of all FSPs included in this report. Differences between European
and US versus Asian FSPs in adopting ESG standards, as well as the unique markets they finance, present a risk that two parallel but separate financial systems could emerge. Efforts by both government and non governmental organizations should emphasize the prevention of a two-tiered marketplace with different quality requirements for palm oil. All actors in this sector still require a significant shift in thinking on the benefits of including ESG standards in cultivation and production processes. In palm oil producing countries, the lack of specific banking regulations emphasizing sustainability concerns regarding the sector forms a further hindrance to positive developments.
Books by retno kusumaningtyas
research shows that European and US FSPs are further along than their counterparts in Asia in adopting policies that include ESG risk assessments as part of the process for providing financial services. However, attention to smallholder inclusion is insufficient in the policies of all FSPs included in this report. Differences between European
and US versus Asian FSPs in adopting ESG standards, as well as the unique markets they finance, present a risk that two parallel but separate financial systems could emerge. Efforts by both government and nongovernmental organizations should emphasize the prevention of a two-tiered marketplace with different quality requirements for
palm oil. All actors in this sector still require a significant shift in thinking on the benefits of including ESG standards in cultivation and production processes. In palm oil producing countries, the lack of specific banking regulations emphasizing sustainability concerns regarding the sector forms a further hindrance to positive developments.
research shows that European and US FSPs are further along than their counterparts in Asia in adopting policies that include ESG risk assessments as part of the process for providing financial services. However, attention to smallholder inclusion is insufficient in the policies of all FSPs included in this report. Differences between European
and US versus Asian FSPs in adopting ESG standards, as well as the unique markets they finance, present a risk that two parallel but separate financial systems could emerge. Efforts by both government and non governmental organizations should emphasize the prevention of a two-tiered marketplace with different quality requirements for palm oil. All actors in this sector still require a significant shift in thinking on the benefits of including ESG standards in cultivation and production processes. In palm oil producing countries, the lack of specific banking regulations emphasizing sustainability concerns regarding the sector forms a further hindrance to positive developments.
research shows that European and US FSPs are further along than their counterparts in Asia in adopting policies that include ESG risk assessments as part of the process for providing financial services. However, attention to smallholder inclusion is insufficient in the policies of all FSPs included in this report. Differences between European
and US versus Asian FSPs in adopting ESG standards, as well as the unique markets they finance, present a risk that two parallel but separate financial systems could emerge. Efforts by both government and nongovernmental organizations should emphasize the prevention of a two-tiered marketplace with different quality requirements for
palm oil. All actors in this sector still require a significant shift in thinking on the benefits of including ESG standards in cultivation and production processes. In palm oil producing countries, the lack of specific banking regulations emphasizing sustainability concerns regarding the sector forms a further hindrance to positive developments.