Greening Indonesian Villages Through Action Research
The landscapes in Seruyan, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia are home to vast tropical forests, peatlands, and rich biodiversity. However, the rural communities living there face pressing challenges — deforestation, unsustainable farming practices, and climate-related risks such as wildfires and floods.
Gawi Bapakat, meaning “working together” in the local language, is a flagship initiative by Kaleka to address these challenges and empower 100 villages to build a future where economic prosperity and environmental protection go hand in hand. This district-wide initiative spans 610,000 ha of forest and aims to benefit 50,000 farmers and indigenous people in the area:
Gawi Bapakat, meaning “working together” in the local language, is a flagship initiative by Kaleka to address these challenges and empower 100 villages to build a future where economic prosperity and environmental protection go hand in hand. This district-wide initiative spans 610,000 ha of forest and aims to benefit 50,000 farmers and indigenous people in the area:
- Regenerate landscapes – Supporting smallholder farmers to improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and restore degraded lands through sustainable farming and conservation practices;
- Strengthen smallholder farmers’ incomes – Providing technical support, access to sustainable certification, and incentives for sustainable practices to improve income and secure market access; and
- Prevent fires – Promoting alternatives to slash-and-burn agriculture, including fire-free agroforestry, aquaculture, and sustainable cash crops.
Restoration in Ulak Batu Village, Central Kalimantan. (Photo by Kaleka)
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Organic Fertilizer Production Training in Sandul Village. (Photo by Kaleka)
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QAI, along with two Asian funders, is supporting Kaleka’s “Greening Indonesian Villages Through Action Research” programme to build on Gawi Bapakat’s progress and deepen its impact. This programme aims to:
- Generate strong evidence on the impact of Gawi Bapakat and what works, and share lessons learnt to improve policy and practices;
- Promote meaningful participation of local communities across all 100 villages in Seruyan; and
- Establish a dedicated, professional secretariat to support the initiative’s long-term success.
Hartono, a local smallholder from Sulung Village, tends to plant seedlings at the Sulung Village Nursery for Ecosystem Restoration. (Photo by Kaleka)
We hope that this effort will create a replicable model for sustainable landscape management, enabling its wider implementation by governments and practitioners in Indonesia and beyond.