Gender Issue in Rural Lowland
Management and Development in
Southern Sumatra
Bondan Winarno, Mamat Rahmat, Ari Nurlia, Edwin Martin
Environment & Forestry Research Institute of Palembang, South Sumatra,
Ministry of Environment & Forestry, Indonesia
SEEDS OF CHANGE CONFERENCE
University of Canberra, April, 2-4, 2019

Introduction
Peatland : 1.4 mill ha of
+ 7,5 mill ha lowland

Introduction
 Lowland in South Sumatra has experienced massive
land conversion from forested area into commercial
agriculture area
 At the micro level, study of the role of men and women
in practicing commercial agriculture need to update
Objective:
highlights the existing and potential role of gender
in rural lowland (mineral and peat land)
management and development

Budget Project ACIAR Per Institution 2018 - 2021 Including Obj 1,
2, 3, 4 & 5
No Institusi
Sum per institution (non cross Project
activities)
Nilai ($) Nilai (Rp)
1 Bogor 161.147 1.692.040.000
2 Palembang 113.824 1.195.150.000
3 Banjarbaru 118.119 1.240.250.000
4
Cross-project
activities 193.419 2.030.900.000
Total 586.509 6.158.340.000
Methodology
Qualitative approach
Sites: 4 villages in lowland, South Sumatra (2 villages
in mineral land and 2 villages in peatland)
SOUTH SUMATRA

Livelihoods and gender in mineral land villages
 Commodities : rubber, oil palm,
vegetables
 Alternative livelihoods: on farm
and off farm labour
 Decision in land management:
traditionally, more men than
women (from planting until
marketing the commodities)

Livelihoods and gender in mineral land villages
Along with better social economy condition of the
household, there is a change with more women role in
deciding the crops to cultivate until harvesting the
crops, while the men are seeking potential livelihoods
for diversification.
In marketing the crops, men are still have dominant
role than women (men have more network in marketing
the crops)

Livelihoods and gender in mineral land villages
 More women control the
financial arrangement in
farming activities than
men
 However, there is an
absence of women in
farming group activities
and limited access to
agricultural development
program

Livelihoods and gender in marginal peatland
 Limited commercial species can be cultivated on the
peatland
 Recent commodities: palm oil, vegetables, pineapple
(new)
 Tend to practice agroforestry system
 The production of these commodities has not satisfied
yet to the rural people because of the biophysical
constraint

Livelihoods and gender in marginal peatland
 There was more gender balance situation where men
and women in the household shared the idea and
responsibility in finding the prospective commodities
from crops, fruits, timber and non-timber forest
products.
 In famine situation, men became migrant worker
outside the rural area to get better income and the
women are taking over the land management for
certain times.

Livelihoods and gender in marginal peatland
 Limited knowledge
and skills of men
and women on good
agricultural practice
in peatland due to
limited assistance
from government
program and other
stakeholders

BUDGETNG PALEMBANG
Conclusions
 There is more obvious role of women
in agricultural practice as response
to the livelihood situation,
biophysical condition and change of
land cover
 It needs inclusive land management
program, including agricultural
development program for men and
women to improve access, skill for
better rural livelihood and
environment