Climate Resilient Agro Reforestation with Traction - Indonesia

In Indonesia, Climate Resilient Agro Reforestation with Traction invests CO2 compensation payments in community-based restoration of degraded agricultural landscapes covered with Imperata grasslands. This activity combines assisted natural regeneration (ANR) with pro-poor agro forestation, a low-cost and highly effective approach. Imperata grasses are pressed, not uprooted or burned, allowing natural occurring tree seedlings to grow. The pressed layer of Imperata grasses keeps the soil moist, even during the increasing duration of the dry season. The natural existing seedlings grow very fast after ANR treatment, providing quick carbon gains and a favorable microclimate for planting economically viable trees, selected by the community.

Fast facts:

This activity has rehabilitated about 120 hectares of degraded agricultural land from Imperata covered grassland to productive agroforestry;
Funding comes from CO2 compensation fees which are paid upfront for five years by the private sector in the Netherlands;
This activity has provided training to over 100 farms in ANR as a land rehabilitation method;
Through this activity, cooperatives can be officially recognized under local government rule;
Currently, the agroforestry trees are being harvested, providing an income to farmers that are five times the official minimum wage of the province.

The problem

Uprooting Imperata grasses and burning the biomass releases large amounts of CO2 (up to 40 tonnes/hectare) into the atmosphere, especially when these fires turn into wildfires that severely impact the surrounding area.

The solution

The ANR approach is a zero-burning technique. Grasses are no longer uprooted, but simply pressed down. Existing seedlings of natural trees in the field are protected and allowed to grow. A thick blanket of pressed Imperata grasses decays into the soil, rather than being exposed to the air. This activity turns potential carbon released through burning into carbon sequestration. Since applying ANR techniques, this activity has an almost zero death rate of trees. This activity is able to fund ANR approaches through “personal” carbon sequestration sites. Investors are able to finance these sites and through transparent storytelling, are able to use Google Earth to see how their CO2 payments are helping to restore ecosystems. This evidence is important to unlocking financing for climate change. Because more and more clients are financing these sites, this activity is able to get a carbon price well above the current market price.

Helping the planet

ANR is an effective way to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration from the processes of land use change. This project has also seen an increased amount of biodiversity and wildlife at ANR sites including regular visits from the Sumatran tiger and large amounts of deer, a sign of ecosystem restoration.

Helping people

Communities are no longer having to deal with fires from burning. As trees mature in a climate stable environment, human livelihoods and human well-being improve considerably, providing increased food security and secure incomes.

This activity’s financing mechanism also builds resilient livelihoods. During a five-year contract with the community, part of the annual carbon payments from clients are used to train farmers to implement ANR with tree planting. Remaining funds are invested by the performance-based cooperatives into other productive activities, including cattle fattening.

Scaling Up

This activity has developed a “systematic” approach using free prior and informed consent for community involvement and ANR technologies to restore degraded landscape. The manifest of tools and activities have been field tested for five years on 120 hectares of land and are ready to be scaled up. More and more farmers are asking to join the program, as they are viewing trees as valuable carbon stocks that might provide more income.