Multistakeholder forum assessment

Review of Pre-existed Multistakeholder Forum and Lessons Learned for KELOLA's Sembilang-Dangku Multistakeholder Forum
Pre-existed multistakeholder forum established in South Sumatera Province, particularly in Sembilang-Dangku landscape mentioned by the key stakholders are as the following:
a. Multistakeholder forum of SSFFMP
South Sumatra Forest Fire Management Project (SSFFMP) was funded by European Union (EU). This project lasted from 2003-2007 and focused on raising the awareness of the population to prevent and fight forest fires for their own good. This project activities mainly to provide capacity building and support for multistakeholders coordination thorugh Multistakeholder Forum (MSF).
The MSF structure comprised of MSF Council (Dewan MSF), MSF Secretariat, and MSF Working Group in 3 districts (MSF District;s establishment was based on head of districts' decree). The MSF Working Group had regular meeting, which discussed their work towards the development of a extended land use planning approach, livelihood strategies, village border resolution, etc. Also, Working Group meetings had been held to discuss administrative and budgetary matters within the Working Group. Even though the structure was neat and the work plan was clear, the MSF was not last after the project concluded; some people that had been involved in the forum (i.e. Bappeda Musi Banyuasin, Bappeda Bayuasin, Dinas Kehutanan Musi Banyuasin, HAKI) said that the forum was too crowded that they described it was like a funfair.
b. Forum DAS (South Sumatra Watershed Forum)
Forum DAS was established by South Sumatera Governor's Decree no. 85/KPTS/Dishut/2016 (can be downloaded here). This is a multistakeholder forum comprises of people from government institution, CSOs, private companies and donor projects. This forum is still active last from 2015 to 2020. Bappeda of South Sumatera Province takes the secretariat function.
This forum is funded through APBN/APBD and other unbind funding. General functions of this forum are:
Review and discuss policies, plans and on-going or upcoming programs conducted in river watershed
Review the problems arising from the activities of watershed management and natural disasters;
Give consideration and problem solving advice to the Minister, the Governor, Regent/Mayor, including on:
The use and utilization of river basin according to its carrying capacity,
The development and utilization of water resources,
Monitoring on implementation of the mining of minerals in the watershed areas,
Determining the location and activities on soil and water conservation, conducting reclamation of post-mine land,
Control of natural disasters landslides and water damage such as floods and droughts,
The rehabilitation and conservation of watersheds
c. Forum Dangku
Forum Dangku was established in 2014 as part of SPIRIT Project by ZSL. This forum focused on conservation area protection coordinate with private companies which operated around Dangku Wildlife Reserve area. Forum have a bi-monthly regular meeting , and was aim to have integrated conservation management and monitoring plan (CMMP) which comprised of CMMP of each stakeholders, especially the private companies'. Forum was halted due to forest fire in 2015 and had never been activated since. Forum members are listed in annex 2.
d. Forum KPH (Kesatuan Pemangkuan Hutan)Sumsel
Forum KPH Sumsel was established in 2014 through a workshop held and facilitated by GIZ-Forclime. This forum vision is to provide the strengthening and capacity building for KPH in sustainable forest management; while its missions are to function as information center for KPH in all over South Sumatera, to encourage institutional strengthening of KPH, and to encourage policy and regulation of KPH.
[No key stakeholders mentioned about this forum particularly]
e. Forum ISPO Kebun Rakyat (Smallholders)
Forum for ISPO Rakyat (pilot), in 2014-2016 was intended to strengthen and support palm oil smallholders in increasing their productivity, sales, and at the same time to protect the environment. This forum was supported and funded by UNDP. Forum had stopped and no meetings held per date.

Lessons learned for KELOLA Multistakeholder Forum from key stakeholders:
On structure:
Structure: make it simple; don't engage institutions with no shared vision just because you have to.
Need a legal umbrella (SK Gubernur and or SK Bupati)
On forum goals:
Whatever the goal and plan, community empowerment has to be the main goal to ensure sustainable land and environment
Learn from the previous MSF structure, apply if relevant
Use and make effective of the existed structure if possible

On forum activities:
Every actor within the MSF should share and expose each others' strength and weakness and coordinate to overcome any obstacle
Don't replicate programs
Clear action plan should be made
Importance of transparency on information and coordination
Need to engage more on community and emphasis program on community empowerment
Need capacity building and program alignment for each forum members to allow information, data, and skills sharing.

On forum enabling condition:

Forum often lack of funding source; need to be clear from the beginning who will provide fund and how

On forum management:
Be active to provide update
Emphasis discussions on the action; but be less technical
Forum should be made not just on context based to make it more sustain
Every actors involved should have specific roles and duties
There should be monitoring activities
Do regular bi-weekly meetings
Design mutual action plan for members to contribute (i.e. capacity building)