Rattan grows in need of trees as support. Sustainable rattan provides incentives for communities to conserve and restore forests.
Sustainably produced rattan is now an effective solution to protect wildlife habitats while improving community welfare. Central Kalimantan, a district on the island of Borneo, has made history as the second location in the world to produce rattan with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
The steps to maintain sustainable rattan have not only had a positive impact on the environment but also on the livelihoods of more than 200 local rattan farmers.
The Katingan Rattan Farmers Group (P2RK) has obtained FSC certification after working with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for several years. This certification recognizes that the rattan they produce meets strict sustainability standards, making it an environmentally friendly product.
Rattan is a climbing palm plant that is widely used in various applications such as furniture and handicrafts, and supports a global industry worth more than US$4 billion per year. Given that rattan grows using trees as support, this provides an incentive for communities to conserve and restore forests. This is the meaning of sustainable rattan.
However, the low prices received by rattan harvesters often make them turn to other, more profitable alternatives.
“Because they do not get sufficient economic benefits, some farmers have sold their rattan fields to palm oil companies or converted them to other crops such as bananas, vegetables, or rubber. Illegal gold mining is also an option because it provides quick cash, although it is a major threat to the environment in Katingan,” said Joko Sarjito, Manager of the Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) WWF Indonesia, in an official statement accessed Thursday, August 8, 2024.
Sustainable rattan, forest conservation
With FSC certification, P2RK farmers are now in a better position to get higher prices from the global market. WWF research shows that FSC-certified producers, especially small ones in tropical countries, earn higher incomes compared to those who are not certified.
“The areas where P2RK operates are identified as High Conservation Value (HCV) forests. Therefore, protecting these areas with responsible rattan management is very important,” said Sarjito.
FSC certification of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in Indonesia marks an important achievement in natural resource management. The dipterocarp forests in this area are home to orangutans, primates and other endemic birds. Protecting this habitat is crucial because most of Borneo’s endangered orangutans live outside protected areas.
Oscar Sukah, Secretary General of P2RK, added, “If the trees are disturbed or cut down, the growth of the rattan will be disrupted and its quality will decline. Farmers participate in protecting and preserving the forest to maintain certification.”
WWF-Indonesia began working with P2RK in 2011 to prepare them for certification. This process involves registering legal land ownership, surveying to determine the volume of rattan that can be sustainably harvested, and implementing a harvesting and transportation recording system. P2RK now has a tracking system that allows rattan to be tracked from the field to the processing plant.
In terms of capacity, P2RK’s 209 members can now harvest a maximum of 29 tons of dry rattan per month from 691 hectares of land. To maintain sustainability, the plants can only be harvested once every two years after they reach maturity and must be selectively felled. In the next five years, P2RK is expected to manage 11,791 hectares with a production of 474 tons of dry weight per month.
Sarimanto, one of the members of P2RK, said, “With certification, there is an increase in the value of rattan products so that farmers feel safe and maintain their rattan gardens. This allows them to send their children to school or build houses.”
The project is also supported by IKEA, which uses rattan in more than 100 of its products. IKEA, through its partnership with WWF, has decided to include rattan in the scope of its forestry standards starting in early 2018.
Mikhail Tarasov, IKEA Global Forestry Manager, said, “We hope that together we can secure a traceable and sustainable supply of rattan. By supporting projects like this, we can improve farmers’ livelihoods and ensure the sustainability of forests.”
This initiative shows that sustainable rattan production not only contributes to environmental conservation but also provides significant economic benefits to local communities. With FSC certification and support from various parties, the future of rattan in Central Kalimantan looks brighter, bringing hope for environmental sustainability and farmer welfare.