Midterm evaluation of USAID/Indonesia’s natural resources management project

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Asia. Asia, Indonesia, community forestry, income generation, conservation, protected areas, forestry department, institutional collaboration, institutional strengthening, policy, indigenous land, evaluation. SUMMARY: Indonesia has 40 percent of Asia's remaining tropical forests, which provide irreplaceable habitats for much of the world's biological diversity. The forestry sector contributed approximately $4 billion to export earnings in 1993, making it the largest non-petroleum export sector.The Natural Resources Management Project (NRMP), the subject of this midterm evaluation, is one of USAID's major environmental initiatives in Asia and USAID/Indonesia's first natural resources management project. The NRMP was initiated in 1990 as a broad program of assistance to support the Government of Indonesia's effort to improve policymaking capacity related to the management of natural resources. The NRMP had two objectives: 1) to identify key policies and practices that constrain sustainable economic growth, and 2) to design and implement improved policies and practices to address those constraints. This mid-term evaluation was conducted to evaluate progress towards specified outputs in the logical framework and to recommend improvements in project design and/or implementation to facilitate accomplishment of project outputs. Project achievements are notable. An effective technical assistance team is in place. Eight of twelve policy studies have been completed and the results widely disseminated. The Ministry of Forestry, responding to policy studies, established task forces around project activities, including waste minimization and traditional forest area management. Two draft management plans for protected areas (Bunaken and Bukit Baka-Bukit Raya), developed with full participation of local communities, are nearing completion. The NRM project has achieved measured progress in increasing the economic and social welfare of local communities in the Bukit Baka-Bukit Raya area. To build upon these initial successes, the evaluation team recommends the following: Consolidate and disseminate results of policy studies and field experiences to encourage discussions of critical resource issues, exchange information/experience, and coordinate activities; Continue developing constructive policy options by integrating field tested pilot site activities with policy analysis at the national level; Develop management plans for protected areas through extensive consultations with stakeholders to achieve consensus on the purpose of the protected area Develop mechanisms for community participation in planning, implementing and monitoring of protected area management; USAID should seek ways to improve communication with other donors by supporting the Consultative Group on Indonesia Forestry.