ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Emphasizing Local Wisdom in Peatland
Restoration in South Sumatra Indonesia
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1
Faculty of Agriculture, Sriwijaya University, Indralaya Campus, South Sumatra 30820, Indonesia
2
Centre for Global Sustainability Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
Submission date: 2023-12-29
Final revision date: 2024-03-01
Acceptance date: 2024-04-13
Online publication date: 2024-06-11
Corresponding author
M Edi Armanto
Department of Soil, Faculty of Agriculture, Sriwijaya University, Jln. Raya Palembang-Prabumulih KM 32, Indralaya, 30662, Indralaya, South Sumatra, Indonesia
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ABSTRACT
In the last three decades, most of the peatlands have been converted into industrial plantations
(especially oil palm) and have had positive impacts, however, peatland degradation continues,
productivity is decreasing, local wisdom is being lost, and rural poverty is still unresolved. Local
wisdom is part of a society’s culture, which is closely related to the uniqueness of indigenous people’s
territories and functions to preserve the environment, balance the ecosystem, and reduce degradation.
This research aims to emphasize the importance of local wisdom in peatland restoration. This research
was designed using a mixed approach by combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Primary data
was collected through field observations and in-depth interviews with key informants from the Peat
Restoration Agency, local government, private companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs),
and other local stakeholders. The research resulted in the need to emphasize local wisdom in peatland
restoration. Recommendations for local wisdom and its cultivation approaches, namely: Multi-Purpose
Tree Species (MPTS) applied with a decentralized approach (participation of farmers and authority
delegation); Gelam forest and honey bees through a conservative approach (being more profitable in the
long term); Sago cultivation is recommended using the protective approach (natural benefits are greater
than their commercial benefits); and an auction system for fishing is implemented with an optimal
approach (harmony with the time, quantity, and quality of the environment).