Working Towards Climate Change Mitigation and Nature's Protection
Monday, August 21, 2023, in Gobleg Village, Bali, Indonesia was the opening day of the third Jamboree Nusantara and the second Southeast Asia Region Summit for Young Leaders.
From 21-24 February 2023, the International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) Global Conference was held in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. The theme of this year’s event was ‘Shifting Power: Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, Leadership and Self-determination’.
From 20-22 March 2023, a total of 10 Samdhana staff joined an internal staff skills workshop on communications technology in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The hands-on training session aimed to build their knowledge and develop their skills in data management, data presentation and data sharing, while also helping them to maintain better data security standards.
Throughout 2022, Samdhana continued to support the efforts of Masyarakat Adat (indigenous people) to secure government recognition of ulayat rights in Sarmi Regency. Community members and local organizations were involved in various activities, starting with a menoken with the local government, indigenous communities, and other stakeholders.
In 2022, another highlight was the Fellows meeting at Prana Dewi Resort in Bali. After some hiatus, Fellows were able to meet in person again. Twenty-two Samdhana Fellows joined, and an additional four went online. Set in the open space of Prana Dewi, with fresh air and beautiful scenery, it created a friendly and laid-back atmosphere.
Hybrid rice varieties, or those produced by breeding two different parents, made their inroads into Philippine farms in the 1970s, gradually supplanting indigenous varieties and making the farmers dependent on chemical inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. In addition, the capital requirements for producing those varieties pushed many small farmers into indebtedness.
From Sabang to Merauke and from sarung to kebaya, textiles are central to many Indonesian traditions and woven into the national culture. Now, a homegrown organisation in Java is working to make these fabrics more sustainable.
We formally launched Kebun Gandaria, or the agro-ecology model farm of Samdhana in Kota Bogor, West Java in December 2022.
Kebun Gandaria, with a land area of 1,400m2, is located in the Tegal Gundil housing complex in Bogor City. Since 2014, Samdhana has been managing the farm and planting many local fruit trees. As such, the Kebun area remains to be the only green spot in this highly-built residential area in Bogor.
During 2022, Samdhana made progress in various fields as part of the ICONIQ Project. This initiative sets out to tackle a range of issues, including climate justice, gender equality and poverty alleviation. By working with partners, across sectors and with a multidisciplinary approach, the Project is making a difference to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in Southeast Asia.
From 28 May – 2 June 2023, the Asia Learning Exchange on Social Inclusiveness and Youth in Tenure Reform Processes was held in Bali, Indonesia. Attended by members of Indigenous groups and organisations from around the world, the event offered a chance to listen, learn, be inspired, discuss and coordinate on how to best advance different aspects of tenure security in the wider context of Asia.