MEDIA ADVISORY
Wild honey harvest tradition in West Timor in harmony with forest protection
New research shows that the annual harvesting of wild honey may be one of the most sustainable and effective governance measures now protecting the Mount Mutis Nature Reserve in West Timor, Indonesia.
The Kanoppi research project, a combined effort between the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), has found that the customary laws surrounding the harvesting of wild honey by the local Mutis-Timau community are having a strong impact on forest protection, at least as much as national and provincial laws.
Watch the honey harvesting process here.
Read more about the tradition here.
“It’s a success story for community-based landscape management and how it can contribute to forest conservation in harmony with national policy,” says Ani Adiwinata Nawir, Kanoppi’s Coordinator for Policy Research.
Local customs dictate that honey can be harvested once or twice a year, according to the seasons, and must be harvested in a way that does not disturb the ecosystem that sustains its production. The harvest is shared equally among the community, bringing additional benefits for livelihoods.
In addition, the practice inadvertently contribute to national and provincial laws on forest protection – laws which members of the Mutis-Timau community are generally unaware of, according to the research. This suggests an untapped potential for both the inclusion of elements of customary law in sustainable resource management policies, and better participation by local people in creating formal laws, Ani says.
The Kanoppi project’s recommendation to protect the tradition of the honey harvest has already been adopted in the Timor Tengah Selatan district government’s strategy on landscape-level integrated management of non-timber forest products, as a reference for government agencies.
Kanoppi is supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and implemented in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund in Indonesia (WWF Indonesia) and a locally established policy working group.
Contact:
Shelley Thakral
Team Leader, Communications and Engagement, CIFOR
Email: S.Thakral@cgiar.org
ARAHAN MEDIA
Harmoni antara tradisi panen madu hutan dengan perlindungan hutan di Timor Barat
Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa panen madu hutan di Cagar Alam Gunung Mutis-Timau merupakan salah satu aktivitas tata kelola berkelanjutan yang terbukti efektif dalam melindungi hutan di Timor Barat, Indonesia.
Hukum adat masyarakat Mutis-Timau yang mengatur panen madu hutan memberikan dampak signifikan dalam perlindungan hutan, sejalan dengan peraturan nasional dan provinsi. Hal tersebut merupakan temuan proyek penelitian Kanoppi, sebuah kerja sama Pusat Penelitian Kehutanan Internasional (CIFOR) dan Pusat Penelitian Agroforestri Dunia (ICRAF).
Saksikan proses panen madu di sini.
Baca mengenai tradisi panen madu di sini.
“Ini sebuah kisah sukses tata kelola bentang alam berbasis masyarakat dan bagaimana praktik ini berkontribusi melindungi hutan selaras dengan kebijakan nasional,” kata Ani Adiwinata Nawir, Koordinator Penelitian Kebijakan Kanoppi.
Hukum adat mengatur bahwa madu boleh dipanen sekali atau dua kali dalam setahun, sesuai musimnya. Proses panen harus dilakukan dengan cara yang tidak mengganggu lingkungan yang menyangga produksi madu. Hasil panen yang dibagi secara merata, memberi tambahan manfaat bagi penghidupan masyarakat setempat.
Tradisi ini secara tak sengaja berkontribusi bagi perundangan perlindungan hutan nasional dan provinsi. Kontribusi tersebut, menurut hasil penelitian, umumnya tidak disadari oleh anggota masyarakat Mutis Timau. Kondisi ini, menurut Ani menyingkap dua bentuk potensi yang belum tergali, yaitu inklusi elemen hukum adat dalam kebijakan tata kelola sumber daya berkelanjutan, dan pelibatan aktif partisipasi masyarakat lokal dalam menyusun peraturan formal.
Rekomendasi penelitian Kanoppi untuk melindungi tradisi panen madu telah diadopsi menjadi strategi pemerintah kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan dalam integrasi tata kelola tingkat bentang alam produk hutan bukan kayu, serta menjadi rujukan bagi lembaga pemerintah.
Penelitian ini didukung oleh Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), bekerjasama dengan World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia dan kelompok kerja kebijakan kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan, Nusa Tenggara Timur.
Kontak:
Budhy Kristanty
Communications Outreach, CIFOR
b.kristanty@cgiar.org
www2.cifor.org
https://forestsnews.cifor.org/id/
CIFORIndonesia
@cifor_hutan