The Bornean Rainforest is home to immense biodiversity and hundreds of Indigenous communities but is one of the world's most endangered ecosystems. A lack of economic opportunity can drive practices like forest burning and wildlife poaching. Planet Indonesia's team works with communities to provide the tools, skills, and knowledge for them to set up new enterprises, such as itama honey bee keeping that provides a biodiversity-based livelihood and gives back to the forest.
The forests of Borneo are being cut down and the people living there have historically been sidelined. Often lacking access to basic services and opportunities to diversify livelihoods, it has left some with no other choice than to poach, sell land, and burn forests for crops to meet their basic needs. As natural resources are depleted, life in the forest gets harder and a vicious cycle deepens culminating in spiraling poverty and barren forests.
In order to reverse this cycle, we partner with villagers to design programs - based on a holistic approach - that improves economic opportunities and protects forests. We work with our conservation cooperative partners and a beekeeping expert to develop stingless itama beehives, a livelihood development initiative that aims to provide community members with an alternative source of income. It helps with food security, nutrition, and regenerative livelihoods, as well as forest pollination.
Investing in the skills and knowledge of Indigenous community members supports and empowers them to create their vision for the future with sustainable systems and livelihoods that can provide food security, climate adaptation, and alleviate poverty. In the long term, supporting people who protect forests, providing incentives for conservation action, ensures both people and forests are thriving.
