Bogor, Indonesia — November, 2025
The IPB Centre for Applied Research in Nature-based Solutions (I-CAN) has successfully convened the first series of the I-CAN Think Forum, a multistakeholder platform established to strengthen Indonesia’s peatland restoration efforts through knowledge mobilization, participatory planning, and science-based decision-making.
Indonesia’s peatlands are among the world’s most critical ecosystems—storing vast carbon stocks, regulating hydrology, supporting biodiversity, and sustaining millions of livelihoods. Yet these landscapes remain highly vulnerable to degradation caused by deforestation, draining, land conversion, and recurring fires. The restoration of peatlands is therefore central not only to climate mitigation efforts but also to enhancing community resilience and long-term economic security.
Presenting the Technical Design for Restoration in Sungai Gelam, Jambi
During the first I-CAN Think Forum, I-CAN presented the technical design for its peatland restoration work in Sungai Gelam, Jambi, currently being developed under the FINCAPES project. Supported by the Government of Canada, FINCAPES is implemented by the University of Waterloo in partnership with IPB University, and seeks to integrate environmental recovery with socio-economic advancement through Nature-based Solutions (NbS).
The technical restoration plan focuses on:
- Restoring degraded shrublands through hydrological improvement and rehabilitation measures suited to peatland ecosystems.
- Developing productive agroforestry plots using sustainable practices such as paludiculture (wetland farming), intercropping, and peat-friendly crop selection.
- Enhancing local livelihoods by introducing alternative commodities and value chains that thrive in wet peat conditions.
- Combining biophysical data and social-economic insights to ensure restoration strategies are environmentally sound and socially inclusive.
Through the integration of scientific assessments, local community input, and sustainable land-use approaches, the initiative aims to create a replicable model for peatland restoration across Indonesia.
Knowledge Mobilization for Inclusive and Sustainable Restoration
The I-CAN Think Forum reinforces I-CAN’s mandate as a platform for mobilisasi pengetahuan, where field evidence, scientific research, and community insights are synthesized into recommendations that guide adaptive governance and effective implementation.
Key themes highlighted during the Forum include:
- The need for participatory, community-driven restoration, ensuring that both women and men benefit equally and contribute meaningfully to planning and implementation.
- The integration of ecological restoration with livelihood development, enabling households to adopt sustainable practices while increasing economic resilience.
- The importance of multi-stakeholder involvement—local government, communities, NGOs, researchers, and private actors—to align goals, address governance constraints, and sustain long-term restoration outcomes.
- The relevance of GESEI (Gender Equality & Social Economy Inclusion) in designing programs that respond to local needs and strengthen equity in peatland landscapes.
These insights form a comprehensive framework for achieving sustainable, science-based, and socially grounded peatland restoration.
Strengthening Governance Through Multistakeholder Dialogue
I-CAN positions the Think Forum as a central mechanism for bridging science, policy, and community action. By convening stakeholders from across sectors, the Forum supports clearer coordination, identifies policy gaps, and strengthens the evidence base needed to guide government decisions on peatland management.
Through this platform, I-CAN advances its commitment to turning data into actionable strategies, enabling more effective planning, more inclusive participation, and more resilient restoration outcomes.
Advancing Nature-based Solutions for Indonesia’s Future
The first I-CAN Think Forum underscores Indonesia’s growing commitment to addressing peatland degradation through solutions that are environmentally sound and socially beneficial. As the country accelerates its climate resilience agenda, I-CAN continues to play a pivotal role in ensuring that restoration efforts are grounded in evidence, community realities, and collaborative problem-solving.
The technical design presented in this Forum marks a foundational step toward implementing effective, gender-responsive, and community-centered peatland restoration in Sungai Gelam, Jambi—and establishing a model for the broader landscape.
To download the knowledge brief from this Forum, please click here: