Seeds of Sustainable Development: Case Study
The wellbeing and prosperity of the people of Sumatra are inextricably linked to the fate of the forests – we cannot support one at the expense of the other. Working through our indispensable frontline partners, and together with local communities in priority landscapes, we develop conservation action plans which break the link between development and habitat degradation. We support local people to pursue secure, forest-friendly livelihoods, using innovative approaches that make the forests more valuable to them standing than felled. Our community-based interventions build a network of ‘rainforest guardians’ who help to reduce pressure on the forest and to protect orangutans and other wildlife. Together we can build resilience for orangutans, ecosystems, communities and climate through conservation solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.In the villages of Majanggut II and Simarpara in West Toba, we have been working closely with communities to build trustful relationships and identify options for sustainable livelihood development.
The communities, especially women, have expressed a strong interest in adopting permaculture systems in their farmlands. This regenerative farming practice will help the community to increase their production as well as reduce their dependency on expensive fertilisers and pesticides. This, in turn, reduces the need to expand farmlands into forests and enables the landscape to be rewilded for orangutans and other biodiversity.
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