One decade of social forestry implementation as a national program in Indonesia

Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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Abstract

This study reviews and evaluates a decade of social forestry (SF) implementation as a national program in Indonesia since its formalization in 2016. Aimed at improving forest sustainability and local livelihoods, the program allocated 12.7 million hectares of state forest lands for local communities under five schemes. Using secondary data from the GoKUPS information system and relevant literature, this study evaluates the SF licensing achievements, the distribution of SF schemes, the development of SF business groups, and the dominant commodities. As of April 2026, approximately 8.3 million hectares (69.29%) have been allocated through around 11 thousand permits, benefiting over 1.4 million households. The community forests (Hutan Kemasyarakatan/HKm) scheme is widely adopted, while customary forests (Hutan Adat/HA) remain limited due to a lack of policy support and capacity constraints. Although around 16 thousand SF business groups have been established, fewer than one-third are active, with most remaining at intermediate stages of development. Commodity production is largely dominated by non-timber forest products, particularly corn. The findings indicate that, despite significant progress in providing access to legal tenure, economic impacts and institutional effectiveness remain limited. Strengthening facilitation, simplifying bureaucratic processes, and enhancing market access and social innovation are essential to improve outcomes. This evaluation provides insights to refine policies and ensure more equitable and sustainable SF implementation in Indonesia.