ACIAR - Indonesia Forestry consultation summary 22 February 2007 John Skerritt Deputy Director

Overall thrust  It was agreed to strengthen the emphasis on technical and policy research to support economic growth from forestry in Java, parts of Sumatra and Eastern Indonesia.  ACIAR’s program will maintain a focus on high-value commodities for which there is strong export or domestic market demand, that are identified as priorities by the Indonesian Government and for which major constraints require addressing through research.  In addition to supporting research on production and productivity enhancement, ACIAR will also address related pest and disease management (including shared bio-security concerns), postharvest processing and market development issues.

Summary priorities  Application of improved silvicultural strategies, disease management and governance arrangements to appropriately sited plantation species (acacia, teak and mahogany, and potentially other valuable, fast growing species)  Capturing more value from plantation species through improved processing technologies and development of new products matched to appropriate markets

 Understanding incentives for small-scale community plantings, including policies and institutions (effectiveness of regulations, impact of land tenure, models for conflict resolution, effective size of the management units) and analysis of systems and markets that produce intermediate returns best practice models for outgrower schemes to secure market access for smallholders

 Matching community forestry sites to species in variable environments such as West Timor, including site classification (soil and climate), selection of species combinations and improved planting materials taking markets and cultural preferences into account, silvicultural systems adapted for small-scale plantings, including agro-silvopastural systems development of replicable extension models for small-scale plantations  Policy options and economic assessment of forestry options for addressing clean development mechanisms in Indonesia

Linkages  We will work with our Indonesian partners to involve end– users such as extension groups and the private sector during the development of projects, to more closely integrate project personnel in project activities at the farming community level, and to integrate researchers and policymakers where appropriate.  We will increase our emphasis on communication of the outcomes of ACIAR projects and linkage with major Indonesian government, donor and industry programs.

Linkages  ACIAR will encourage linkages between the research agencies in forestry and the policy/implementation directorate–generals in the same ministries where appropriate.  ACIAR will support linkages between the research capacity in central institutes Java and provincially-based adaptive research agencies and planning authorities.  In addition, we will support greater involvement of private sector and other non-government partners in the program.

What next ?  Crystallise discussions to 3 or so priorities in each area  Confirmation with FORDA/ other stakeholders  Confirmation with our Minister  ACIAR will use them as a framework for collaborative research for development activities over the next four year period, subject to further advice and information from Indonesia and alignment with the Australia-Indonesia development cooperation strategy.  These priorities are not to be considered as officially sanctioned priorities of the Government of Indonesia.  Researchers intending to propose collaborative research projects should, in the first instance, approach the relevant ACIAR Research Program Manager – Russell Haines (forestry), Simon Hearn (policy ).

Capacity development priorities also for review and discussion at this meeting Investment in institutional development in Eastern Indonesia Training for researchers/managers involved in ACIAR projects Up to 35 places for postgraduate training in Australia are available for Indonesians at any one time Consultations during 2006 included requests for the following short courses to be provided by ACIAR: Research Management training Commercialisation of research results Integrating social and economic methods for biophysical agricultural researchers Fostering agricultural research-extension linkages Information and Communication Technology Scientific Writing