Background. In 1985 the Indonesian Government decreed that 6.32 million hectares of forest plantation would be established within 15 years. By 2002, only 2 million hectares were realised. There were many reasons for this. A principal factor was social conflict at the community level. CIFOR s research shows that a sustainable supply of timber may be achievable through partnership schemes that encourage business and local communities to work together in sharing both the benefits and risks of investing in plantations. Despite recent private sector support for partnership schemes, there is evidence to suggest companies often do not have a clear idea of the measures needed to ensure tree growers full commitment.
Objectives. The main aims of this study are:
· to identify the key elements needed for viable, mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships
· to provide stakeholders implementing partnership schemes, or to those who might wish to, the type of information needed to help ensure the partnership s success, such as the expectations of tree grower partners.
Successful partnerships. The concepts of mutually beneficial partnership, co-management, and participation were the core ideas used in designing the principles, criteria and indicators of a mutually beneficial partnership scheme, and served as the basis for developing questionnaires. Mutually beneficial partnership schemes require:
· Commercial feasibility based on a long-term partnership contract that embraces agreed-upon mutual economic and social objectives;
· Equitable contractual agreements determined through a fair and reasonable valuation of shared inputs;
· Full understanding by both parties of the potential consequences and risks of joining the partnership;
· A common understanding of co-management concepts and participation.
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Towards Mutually-Beneficial Company-Community Partnerships in Timber Plantation
