Gender and oil palm expansion in Indonesia Lessons from CIFOR’s ongoing research Presenter: Steven Lawry on behalf of Bimbika Sijapati Basnett Center for International Forestry Research

Her oil palm story… Ibu Lila—not her real name—climbs up and down the hills between the rows of oil palms, carrying 18 kilograms of fertilizer in a basket slung from her shoulder. If she meets her quota, spreading 350 kilograms of fertilizer around 175 palms, she’ll earn 35,000 Rupiah (USD 2.71) today. “Sometimes when I'm carrying that fertilizer I feel I just can’t do it anymore, I'm so worn out,” she said. “I get a headache from the smell, it makes my eyes swell up, and I cry until night.” It’s back-breaking work, but Lila feels as though she has no way out. Her plantation job is her only chance to make enough to keep her daughter in high school. But it is casual work, and poorly paid. Ibu Lila lives in a tiny enclave between palm oil plantations in Meliau, West Kalimantan, Indonesia—land that since 1980 has been extensively developed for palm oil. Her family lost their land to the plantation and is now landless. Hers isn’t the only palm oil story. Tied and independent smallholders also grow the crop.

Summary of presentation Trajectories of oil palm expansion – current rates, modalities CIFOR’s research Engendering the oil palm debate – why does gender matter Key findings – who benefits, who looses, how has that evolved Recommendations

Trajectories of oil palm expansion in Indonesia Indonesia has 12 million ha of oil palm (Sumatra 64%, Kalimantan 31%) Kalimantan had highest rate of expansion during the period 2005 – Of 1.7 million ha added in Kalimantan , 86% was in the form of large scale plantations, only 14% was smallholdings Permits for plantations are still issued even if undeveloped concession land is extensive. Plantation expansion means smallholders who want to grow oil palm or other crops are squeezed for land. Some – like Ibu Lila – now have no alternatives to plantation work.

Engendering oil palm debate Who gains and who loses from oil palm? Best cases: successful tied smallholder schemes where collective action and negotiation by farmers brings prosperity Worst cases: land grabbing by plantations, erosion of customary institutions, and lack of decent work for people who lose their land Analysis by gender and generation disaggregates differential impacts of oil palm expansion. Gendered impacts: women may benefit as smallholders; women workers are vulnerable to poor work conditions on plantations. Young people in plantation- saturated districts will not have the chance to farm.

Meliau sub-district, West Kalimantan oil palm concession map 1990

Key findings 1: smallholders Smallholder couples who sustained diverse farming systems and added oil palm to their repertoire prospered. Women and men were equally enthusiastic about adding oil palm, and treated smallholdings as jointly owned property. Transmigrants and locals who were allocated just 2 ha of oil palm in tied smallholder schemes had low and stagnant incomes. Some transmigrants sold up and left the area. Locals in the enclaves who lost their land were obliged to become plantation workers.

Mixed farm zone Dayak Mixed farm zone Malay Enclave, Malay Transmigrant Java/local Total households Oil palm, 2+ plots Oil palm, one plot Own rubber589716? Swidden rice56000 Landless Land land use in sample hamlets, 2011

Key findings 2: Gendered work and casualization on plantations Plantation workers were previously recruited as couples, and given stable work with good benefits Plantations today rely heavily on casual and outsourced labour Plantations prefer to hire young, male migrants as harvest workers Plantations hire local landless women for maintenance work Result: Families are fractured. Men and women are recruited from different labour pools. Landless women experience the worst labour conditions. Local men have to migrate out to find work elsewhere

Deteriorating Labour Conditions State plantation State plantation Private plantation Private plantation Male migrant harvest workers Permanent core workers Provincial minimum + bonuses Aging core + contract harvesters. Provincial minimum + bonus = Rp2,500,000 (2010) Core paid daily wage of Rp35,000 based on quota + premium Range Rp2- 2,500,000/ month No base. Paid 1000/kg/day x 24 days = Rp1,320,000 (range Rp660,000- Rp2,640,000) Female local maintenance workers Permanent core workers Provincial minimum + bonuses Aging core + casual day workers Core earn provincial minimum + bonuses =Rp2,500,000. Casual workers earn Rp20,000 for 5-hour work day x 24 days/month = Rp480,000 Casual only. 7 hour day = Rp35,000 x 24 days/month = Rp840,000+ overtime = approx Rp1,200,000 Fertilizing and spraying, daily quota, no overtime Rp35,000 x 24 days/month = Rp840,000. Clearing Rp7000 x 24 days =Rp168,000. Loose fruit 30 buckets x Rp2200/day x 24 days = Rp1,584,000

Recommendations Review policy options for oil palm expansion Strengthen recognition and restitution of customary land rights Upgrade and extend smallholder support programs Improve conditions for plantation workers Role – Government, CSOs, scientific organizations