Discussing Smallholders and Land Transition, IPB University’s LRI LPI Opens Bilateral Dialogue with the European Union
The world is facing major challenges in achieving climate and biodiversity targets. For this reason, the International Research Institute for Environment and Climate Change (LRI LPI) IPB University initiated a bilateral dialog between Indonesia and the European Union.
The dialogue was held together with the Institut du Développement Durable et des Relations Internationales (IDDRI) and the Basque Center for Climate Change (BC3). The meeting discussed opportunities for cooperation between the European Union and Indonesia, specifically related to financing solutions for smallholders in an effort to transition to sustainable land use.
This topic was raised because forests, especially in tropical countries like Indonesia, play an important role in curbing climate change. However, pressure on forests continues to increase, one of which is due to the expansion of small-scale agriculture which has not been supported by an adequate financing system.
“Indonesia has two big missions that must be achieved simultaneously, namely ending deforestation and eliminating national hunger by 2045,” said Prof Damayanti Buchori, Head of IPB University’s Center for Sustainability and Transdisciplinary Science Studies (CTSS).
Therefore, according to her, smallholders need to be supported to shift to more productive practices, resilient to climate change, and still contribute to forest conservation.
Frida Sund Falkevik from the Directorate General for Climate Action of the European Union explained Europe’s approach in encouraging sustainable agriculture and forestry practices through carbon farming regulations and carbon removals incentive policies.
Meanwhile, Aditya Nayu Nanda, CEO of World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Indonesia, highlighted the various barriers that smallholders still face in accessing financing sources.
“The challenges are becoming more complex because global markets, including the European Union, now require agricultural products that are free from deforestation through the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR),” he said.
In the closing session, Prof Rizaldi Boer as Head of LRI LPI IPB University, emphasized that sustainable land transition requires not only the right policies, but also inclusive funding and cross-border collaboration.
“Collaboration between Indonesia and the European Union is expected to be a catalyst towards a low-emission development model that still ensures the welfare of farmers and the sustainability of ecosystems,” he concluded. (*/Rz) (IAAS/NRA)
