farmlandgrab.org | Indonesia

Soldiers, cronies and deforestation: The story behind Indonesia's food estate programme
- The Gecko Project
- 14 December 2021
When the Indonesian government announced ambitious plans to ramp up domestic food production as the pandemic set in last June, officials claimed that it would not lead to “environmental destruction”. An investigation by The Gecko Project and Tempo reveals how the ministry has exploited regulations that were drafted hastily during the pandemic, stripping away environmental safeguards and opening up vast new areas of land for agriculture.
Indonesian court delivers victory for Indigenous rights in Papua
- Al Jazeera
- 07 December 2021
An administrative court in West Papua Province ruled in favour of a district head who had revoked permits allowing more than a dozen palm oil companies to operate in Indigenous forest areas and turn them into plantations.
Lack of resolution mechanisms result to palm oil conflicts to fester in Indonesia
- Eco-business
- 02 December 2021
An analysis of land conflicts involving palm oil companies in Indonesia, the world’s biggest producer of the commodity, shows the country lacks effective mechanisms for addressing these problems.
One in five hectares of oil palm in Indonesia is illegal, report shows
- Mongabay
- 11 November 2021
A fifth of oil palm plantations in Indonesia, the world’s biggest producer of palm oil, are operating illegally inside forest areas that are off-limits to commercial agricultural activity, a new report from Greenpeace shows.
New report exposes challenge of land conflicts in Indonesia caused by oil palm plantations: the long road to conflict resolution
- FPP
- 27 October 2021
The rapid spread of oil palm plantations across Indonesia has spawned over 4,000 land conflicts, and the size of these plantations is doubling every decade. A new study, details the main causes of these conflicts and exposes the limited resources rural Indonesians have to seek resolution and redress for land loss.
Top global banks and investors made an estimated $1.74 billion in income since Paris Climate Agreement from deals with agribusinesses linked to destruction of climate-critical forests and human rights abuses
- Global Witness
- 21 October 2021
Big financial institutions rake in profits bankrolling the destruction of the land, homes and livelihoods of communities who have safeguarded their forests for generations
Politically connected firm seeks to profit as Indonesian government cuts down orangutan habitat
- The Gecko Project
- 14 October 2021
The Indonesian government has stripped back rules protecting the environment to expedite a plan to ramp up food production through a “food estate” programme. A firm run by allies of the Minister of Defence has positioned itself to profit from the programme and is seeking $2 billion in investment.
Indigenous Papuan women and the struggle for land
- New Mandala
- 05 October 2021
There is a common and well-known philosophy throughout Papua, which represents the strong bond between women and nature; “Land is Mama”. We might suspect that it sounds like a romantic attachment of the stereotype of domestic work to one gender. However, it is reflected in what these Indigenous women, who fight for their land are doing.
Audio: Dr Sophie Chao - Papua, food and racism
- Talking Indonesia
- 30 September 2021
Despite the fact that Indonesia’s deforestation rate reached a historic low in 2020, the social, cultural, and ecological wellbeing of people whose livelihoods depend on forests has continued to suffer greatly. The indigenous Marind people in Papua, for example, have seen 1.2 million hectares of their lands and forests targeted for oil palm and timber plantations as part of the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate. This has led not only to food and water insecurity but also fundamental shifts in the food and eating habits of the Marind people. Why is this happening?
Dreams, dollars and destruction of a rainforest
- Newsroom
- 23 September 2021
An Auckland property developer is involved in a company linked to carrying out deforestation in Indonesia, where virgin rainforest is being bulldozed to grow palm oil plantations.
A dangerous place for women. stories of Indigenous Women working in oil palm plantations in Papua
- WRM
- 23 September 2021
Oil palm plantations are one of the most unsafe spaces for women, not only because of their vulnerable working status –mostly as casual workers – but also because of the potential for sexual violence that lurks them in and around the plantation fields.
Perusahaan melanggar UU larangan praktik monopoli
- Yayasan Pusaka
- 21 September 2021
Perusahaan kelapa sawit PT Sorong Agro Sawitindo dan PT Papua Lestari Abadi menggugat Bupati Sorong di PTUN Jayapura yang telah mengeluarkan rekomendasi pencabutan izin perusahaan perkebunan tersebut atas dasar melanggar UU Larangan Praktek Monopoli.

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25 Mar 2025 - Online
Landless Voices: Land & Climate

05 May 2025 - Washington DC, US
World Bank Land Conference 2025: Securing Land Tenure and Access for Climate Action: Moving from Awareness to Action