Building community immunity through use of Papuan traditional medicinal plants

Indonesia is one of the world’s richest countries in biodiversity. An estimated 30,000 plant species have been identified, around 950 of which are known to have a biopharmaceutical function and potential as medicine and health food. Indeed, recent research shows about 1845 species of herbal plants – including 2500 plants in the country – can be used as medicine. Various types of traditional medicinal plants have been identified across Papua and West Papua regions, both by the Health Office and academics, to have efficacy for enhancing the immune system. Milkwood and akwai in the forests of Papua are used to treat malaria and body vitality, respectively. Meanwhile, benali, kebar grass, red fruit juice and ant nests are used to enhance the body’s immune system. Most of these plants are cultivated by local communities and some grow naturally. Some medicinal plants have been used by Indigenous peoples (for example, the Dani tribe) for thousands of years. They can have high medical value when blended with herbal ingredients to treat various diseases. However, beyond personal health care, these traditional plants have economic potential that can benefit local communities and others.

The online panel will discuss the prospects for these various types of medicinal plants. How can technical aspects and policy support future use and development of traditional medicinal plants in Papua and West Papua?

Speakers

Dr. Robby Kayame, SKM.M.Kes

Head of Health Offices, Papua Province

Abdullah Tuharea, S.Hut, M.Si

Environment and Forestry Research and Development Bureau, Manokwari

Dr. Lisye Iriana Zebua, M.Si

Cendrawasih University

Dr. Ir. Noak Kapisa, M.Sc

Komisi Daerah Perubahan Iklim dan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan (KOMDA PIPB) Papua

Moderator

Beatrix S. Wanma

Ottow Geissler University, Papua

Papua’s paradigm shift in forest uses: Exploring non-timber forest products for regional economic and local livelihood benefits

Papua’s forests generate not only timber, but a multitude of forest products. With their high levels of biodiversity, Papua’s forests generate important ecosystem services and non-timber forest products, the potential and uses of which have yet to be fully explored. Many of these NTFPs, including fruits, honey, agarwood (gaharu), resins, sago, leaves, rattans, bamboo and many others, are produced traditionally and used for subsistence, traded commercially, or even exported overseas. It is the time to change the forest use paradigm and pay more attention to how forests can be utilized, not only for generating regional revenues, but more importantly to benefit customary communities. NTFP potential has yet to be explored fully, and efforts are needed to overcome policy and technical challenges ahead.

Presentations

Changing forests, changing diets in Papua (by Amy Ickowitz)
Kebijakan Pengelolaan HHBK Pasca UU No. 11 tentang Cipta Kerja (by Wahyu Nurhidayat)
3. Membangun Ketahanan Ekonomi Regional dan Masyarakat Adat Melalui Hasil Hutan Bukan Kayu (by Estiko Triwidyo)
Pengembangan Usaha Kecil Mikro Hasil Hutan Bukan Kayu di Papua (by Omah Laduani Ladamay)

Speakers

TBC

Director of Production Forest Environmental Service and Non-Timber Forest Product Enterprises, Directorate General of Sustainable Production Forest Management, Ministry of Environment and Forestry

Yan Yap L. Omuseray

Head of the Papua Provincial Forestry and Environment Office

Amy Ickowitz

Team Leader,Sustainable Landscapes & Livelihoods

Laduani Ladamay

Head of the Papua Provincial Industry, Trade, Cooperative, Small- and Medium Scale Enterprises and Labour Office

Moderator

Dr. Jonni Marwa

Dean of Forestry Faculty of Papua State University (UNIPA)

Papua’s biodiversity and forest ecosystems services: Potential, policy and management challenges and ways forward

Papua’s abundant tropical forests and biodiversity generate invaluable social and ecological services that benefit humans and other living things, directly and indirectly. They play an important role in providing various products, regulating services (i.e. climate, water), generating cultural services (e.g. spiritual, recreational, aesthetic) and supporting the production of all other ecosystem services. Despite the huge potential of forests in the region – which range from beach ecosystems to alpine regions and mountain forests – climate change, unplanned development of land uses, and unsustainable and ill-equipped management practices continue to threaten and adversely affect land, biodiversity and habitat. The capacity of ecosystems to maintain forest benefits and services into the future continues to be reduced.

In this series, the importance and the potential of forest ecosystems and biodiversity across Papua, and how they are contributing to the national, regional and global agenda will be highlighted. We will also discuss policy and management efforts to conserve biodiversity and maintain the forest ecosystem services and examine how these endeavors have been effective in protecting biodiversity, avoiding habitat loss and controlling environmental damage.

A resource person from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry will outline national strategies and action plans for biodiversity and forest conservation and highlight specific policies on the protection of forested areas and ecosystem services within and outside state forest land. The head of a national park will illustrate how important conserved forests and lands are to maintaining biodiversity, landscapes and environmental services, and to allowing people to live near the park. He will share experiences and challenges that the park management is facing in handling relevant management and field issues.

In addressing issues on how ecosystem services can be better used and how local stakeholders, particularly the indigenous people of Papua, can really benefit from nature, other panellists will talk about green investment and forest-based tourism entrepreneurship.

Speakers

Ir. Wiratno, MSc

Director General of Forest Resources, Ecosystem Conservation, Ministry of Environment and Forestry

Acha Anis Sokoy, S.Hut.

Head of Lorentz National Park

Dr. Ir. Agus I. Sumule

Faculty of Agriculture, University of Papua (UNIPA)

Prof. Jatna Supriatna, M.Sc., Ph.D.

University of Indonesia

Moderator

Elisabeth Veronika Wambraw, ST, MT. PhD

Recent trends and status of forests and forestry in Papua: What lessons can we learn from the special autonomy era (2001- 2020)?

The first series features speakers from IPB University, Papua Regional Commission for Climate Changes and Sustainable Development and CIFOR. They will talk about forest governance and lessons we can learn from 20 years of implementing the special autonomy law in Papua. They will also share views on the status of forests and various challenges facing forestry development. Furthermore, they will highlight important, corrective measures to deal with such challenges and prevent further deforestation and forest degradation in this region. Speakers will discuss issues around forest cover changes and drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, and the role of forests in climate change adaptation and mitigation. One speaker will also illustrate how a geo-platform tool (i.e. Papua Atlas, developed by CIFOR and PT Wawasan) can help monitor forest cover changes and the performance of the private sector and other actors in avoiding deforestation and forest degradation.

Speakers

Prof. Dr. Ir. Hariadi Kartodiharjo, M. S

Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB)

Prof. Dr. Rizaldi Boer

Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB)

Agus Salim

PT. Wawasan

Dr. Ir. Noak Kapisa, M.Sc

Papua Province’s Regional Commission for Climate Change and Sustainable Development

Moderator

Dr. Henderina J. Keiluhu, M.Sc

Dosen FMIPA Universitas Cendrawasih