Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) Sinar Mas has been committed to fostering sustainable communities through our Desa Makmur Peduli Api (DMPA) programme. But have you ever wondered about the workings of this programme and its impact on communities here in Indonesia? Let’s dive deeper to learn more.
Understanding the Purpose of DMPA
At its core, DMPA is a groundbreaking programme by Asia Pulp & Paper that seeks to enhance the lives of individuals in our concession areas while simultaneously protecting the environment. It rallies villages and communities to adopt sustainable farming practices, benefiting both their economic condition and the environment.
For instance, Asia Pulp & Paper motivates people to switch to sustainable sedentary farming, moving away from the ecologically damaging slash-and-burn land clearing methods. In this transition, we offer education, utilities, and financial assistance.
The Genesis of APP’s DMPA Programme
The DMPA initiative was borne from our Forest Conservation Policy (FCP), which successfully resolved social conflicts and socioeconomic situations in forest-adjacent communities. Realising that the active involvement of villagers in sustainable forest management is essential while maintaining sustainable and responsible economic activities, we decided to launch DMPA at the end of 2015 to enhance our previous community development initiatives. Through this new programme, we envision villages and communities playing vital roles in sustainable forest management while achieving shared prosperity.
The Structure of APP’s DMPA Programme
Building on the genesis of our DMPA programme, we designed a collaborative framework to ensure its success. Our DMPA programme stands on six fundamental pillars, developed to carry forward our Forest Conservation Policy commitments and adapt to each village’s unique conditions. Applied in progressive stages to cater to specific circumstances in our target villages, these pillars are:
- Participatory Mapping of Resources and Borders
- Transferring Technology and Knowledge
- Protecting and Maintaining Forest Areas
- Resolving and Preventing Local Conflicts
- Partnering in Product Marketing
- Improving Forest Management and Livelihoods
In essence, these six pillars serve as the driving force behind DMPA’s success and the effective realisation of our commitment to bring increased earnings and economic welfare of beneficiaries; improve food stock and food security in targeted villages; harmonise relationships between the village community and Asia Pulp & Paper’s suppliers; resolve existing and prevent future conflicts; establish local economic institutions; as well as increase the active engagement of the villagers in forest management and conservation efforts.
Identifying DMPA’s Beneficiary Communities
Following the establishment of the collaborative structure and pillars of our DMPA programme at Asia Pulp & Paper, we then identified the villages that we would be working with. Our selection criteria are three-fold:
- The village’s proximity to our concession areas.
- A strong connection with forestry resources.
- A recent history of land and forest fires.
To date, we have focused our work on five provinces of Indonesia: Riau, South Sumatra, Jambi, West Kalimantan, and East Kalimantan.
Observing the Transformative Impact of DMPA
Here at Asia Pulp & Paper, we have seen significant positive outcomes since the implementation of our DMPA programme four years ago. The communities we work with have expressed their satisfaction and shared inspiring success stories such as Lidat’s that underscore the effectiveness of our initiative and spur us to keep striving for sustainable change. In addition, this has won more hearts and minds to join our efforts to preserve the forest. Creating a deeper collaboration between the villagers, regional governments, NGOs, and academics for the same purpose of ensuring a better tomorrow, we are confident of long-lasting positive impacts that will benefit generations to come.
Amplifying the Reach and Impact of APP’s Sustainability Efforts
For a comprehensive insight into Asia Pulp & Paper’s diverse sustainability efforts, we encourage you to explore our blogs. While they feature a variety of initiatives beyond DMPA, they collectively illustrate our commitment to environmental preservation and community upliftment. By following our social media accounts on Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, you’ll stay updated with our latest strides and the positive changes they initiate. Join us in our journey towards sustainable development and shared prosperity.