Open AccessMitigating Tensions over Land Conversion in Papua, Indonesia
Author(s) -
Indrawan Mochamad,
Caldecott Julian
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
asia and the pacific policy studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.529
H-Index - 14
ISSN - 2050-2680
DOI - 10.1002/app5.157
Subject(s) - livelihood , indigenous , indonesian , biodiversity , sustainability , agriculture , geography , natural resource economics , economic growth , business , environmental resource management , environmental planning , political science , economics , ecology , linguistics , philosophy , archaeology , biology
In the south of the biodiversity‐rich Indonesian province of Papua, a large agricultural program is planned for the districts around Merauke, with the ostensible aim of helping to meet Indonesia's food requirements. Questions arise over the scheme's compliance with national laws and sustainability policies, as well as its likely impacts on indigenous livelihoods and biodiversity. It is also contrary to the recent low‐carbon development priorities of the provincial and national governments. For the initiative to be consistent with law and policy, therefore, considerably improved planning effort would be needed, taking into account many factors that have so far been ignored.