In Seruyan District, what was once seen as a choice between protecting forests and earning a living is gradually becoming a new story—one where conservation and industry grow side by side through a regenerative bioeconomy.

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For Anjar Wahyono and other residents of Ulak Batu—a small village in Seruyan District that can only be reached by boat—conservation once felt like a threat. To them, it meant restrictions on using land to support their families. In many ways, Seruyan reflects this tension. In the northern and southern parts of the district, where forests remain largely intact, poverty levels are visibly higher than in the central areas where oil palm plantations have expanded. Near the forest edge, wooden houses and simple huts are common; in oil palm zones, homes are sturdier and incomes more stable. *“For communities that depend on forests and wetlands for daily survival, the word conservation sounded less like protection and more like limitation,”* Anjar recalls.

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Zair, an oil palm farmer from Batu Menangis Village in the upper-middle part of Seruyan District, used to see little economic value in restoring degraded land. “*We always knew planting trees was important*,” he said, “*but we didn’t know which trees would actually give us results*.” For him, restoration felt abstract—good in theory, but uncertain in practice. A similar view was shared by farmers in Asam Baru Village. Ahmad Tarmiji and members of his group were encouraged to rehabilitate degraded areas in their village, yet they faced the same question: if they planted trees, would those trees actually support their livelihoods?

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The change gradually took place as Gawi Bapakat introduced payment for environmental services at scale. Sustainable practices were no longer framed as sacrifice or added cost. Instead, protecting forests, preventing fires, and restoring degraded land became pathways to tangible benefits. Communities began to see that conservation could strengthen, rather than limit, their livelihoods.

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 ![From left to right: Anjar Wahyono (Ulak Batu), M. Zair (Batu Menangis), Ahmad Tarmiji (Asam Baru), Edi Satria (Tumbang Manjul)](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/blogentity/5870799e-5f35-433c-98d9-a334d9f59060.jpg)

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## **Gawi Bapakat Provides Incentives for Forest Protection and Ecosystem Restoration**

In Ulak Batu, 809 hectares of peatland are now protected under a social forestry scheme that prevents further land conversion and oil palm expansion. Through the Village-Owned Enterprise (BUMDes), villagers received incentives from Gawi Bapakat to start egg-laying chicken farming, later expanding into broiler production. Around seven people are now directly involved in the group. Income from egg production is still modest and does not yet fully meet household needs, but it provides a steady cash flow for daily expenses. Broiler chickens are sold both within and outside the village, gradually strengthening local trade.

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Located in the northern part of Seruyan District—where parts of the remaining forest could legally be converted for other land uses—Tumbang Manjul Village is now protecting 4,719 hectares of forest. Edi Satria (47), together with 60 other farmers, will receive incentives in the form of patchouli and coffee cultivation plots. For Edi, patchouli represents an entry point into a farming system connected to a clear market. “In Tumbang Manjul, we had never heard of patchouli before. We only became familiar with it when the program team arrived, and even then, at first, we only knew the name,” he said.

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 ![](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/blogentity/c5be99a6-ecb5-4220-a184-170ca792b68b.jpg)

For Zair, a restoration program was introduced in late 2023, where he faced a new choice: planting timber and fruit trees as part of land recovery efforts. Over the past two years, visible changes have begun to emerge. Mango and rambutan trees have grown to over one meter, while petai trees have reached two to three meters in height. Survival rates have been relatively high, particularly for grafted seedlings, which he estimates at 80-90%. Seed-grown trees have developed more slowly, and some required replanting. Within a group of more than 20 participants, several have begun to see that land need not be abandoned after a single planting season.

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Nearly 20 hectares of previously underutilised land are now being transformed into a long-term, market-connected restoration and agroforestry system under the leadership of Ahmad Tarmiji. Comprising social forestry land, BUMDes land, and privately owned plots, the lands are being rehabilitated with ecological species along with 1,982 dwarf coconut seedlings, complemented by bananas, coffee, petai, and balangeran. For the 33-year-old farmer, this is more than crop diversification; it reflects a strategic shift from short-term production toward long-term investment supported by a clearer and more secure supply chain. Together with nine members of the Asam Baru Restoration Group, he carries out regular maintenance to ensure the land is properly managed and cared for.

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## **Connecting Incentives to Industry**

As Gawi Bapakat expanded, information about the incentives spread throughout the district. Over time, the program has built the necessary infrastructure to begin strategically linking those incentives to the industries being developed as part of the regenerative bioeconomy transition. By the third year, incentives were increasingly directed toward crops and activities connected to these new processing facilities, ensuring that farmers’ production had a clear and structured market pathway.

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What distinguishes this initiative from previous programs is the clarity of the supply chain and pricing structure from the beginning. Farmers are not asked to plant first and look for buyers later. “We have confidence because this time there is a market,” Edi said, emphasising that the certainty of a confirmed offtaker is critical to building trust. Knowing who will purchase the product, under what standards, and within what pricing range reduces uncertainty and strengthens farmer commitment.

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For Edi, the priority is not immediate large profits, but long-term sustainability. “What matters to us is not making big profits right away. We want this to be sustainable and to provide a steady income—even if modest, but consistent,” he explained. If the first harvest performs as projected, patchouli could position Tumbang Manjul more firmly within the essential oil supply chain—not merely as a program location, but as part of a stable, market-linked production cluster. To support this, Gawi Bapakat has already constructed a factory equipped with a distillation facility for crude patchouli oil, enabling local processing and value addition within the district. In addition, nurseries have been established to supply quality seedlings and ensure consistent planting material for participating farmers.

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Ahmad Tarmiji expressed a similar view. “What convinced me was that from the beginning, the buyers were already clear. From land preparation to eventual sales, everything was explained,” he said. Before the restoration package program was introduced, social forestry and BUMDes land in his village had been minimally utilised, while he had primarily focused on oil palm cultivation since 2012.

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The products coming out from the restoration ecosystem that will be first harvested will be bananas that serve as the fire break. While the main crop planted is dwarf coconut that can be harvested in the fourth year. Seruyan has already built a banana flour and coconut sugar processing facility to add value for the products. Additional opportunities such as virgin coconut oil production is currently being explored to diversify incomes. With this clearer market linkage, dwarf coconut cultivation became economically rational. “If you just plant without knowing where to sell, people will hesitate. But here, the direction is clear,” he said.

 ![](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/blogentity/0ff8b8ac-84cd-42f2-9eda-3663787be06b.jpg)

## **Changes in Income**

In Tumbang Manjul Village, ten community members—including Edi—are expected to harvest patchouli within the next three months. From an effective area of approximately 1.5–1.8 hectares, annual income is projected to reach IDR 810–972 million in total. Each participating farmer is estimated to earn at least IDR 4.5 million per month, exceeding the 2026 Seruyan District minimum wage (UMK) of IDR 4.05 million. Patchouli provides a relatively fast harvest cycle and can be cultivated beneath preserved tree cover, allowing farmers to generate income while maintaining forest structure.

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On Ahmad Tarmiji’s land, bananas are projected to generate income in the first year at around Rp8.6 million per hectare. Dwarf coconuts are expected to begin yielding in the fourth year, with estimated annual revenues of approximately Rp53 million per hectare. Over the first five years, average annual income is projected at Rp42 million, increasing to nearly Rp101 million per year in the following five years as dwarf coconut becomes the main commodity integrated into the district’s industrial cluster.

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 ![](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/blogentity/320e06d6-328c-4fb3-b33d-9ebab38c3c64.jpg)

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While some farmers are still awaiting their first major harvest, Mistam has already begun to experience tangible results. On his 1.2-hectare plot—about 30% of which is currently cultivated—he grows mustard greens, water spinach, long beans, and bitter melon. Through Gawi Bapakat, he has shifted his farming practices from being heavily dependent on chemical inputs to a system that now uses approximately 70% organic materials and 30% chemical fertilisers.

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This transition has also affected his pricing strategy. Mustard grown primarily with chemical fertilisers sells for Rp1,500 per kilogram, while regeneratively grown mustard sells for Rp3,500 per kilogram. In one harvest cycle, conducted every two days, he collected 64 kilograms of long beans—all of which sold out.

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When selling his produce, Mistam also explains his cultivation methods to buyers. If customers notice small holes in long beans caused by caterpillars, he responds, “If the worms are still alive, it means I’m not using chemicals.” This simple explanation has become an effective way to communicate value and distinguish his products in the market.

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The changes are visible in the soil as well. “Now the soil is more moist and crumbly. It used to be hard and dry,” Mistam explained. Earthworms have reappeared, water retention has improved, and crop growth has become more consistent. Although yields have not yet increased dramatically, he notes clear progress as the transition continues.

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In Seruyan, the regenerative bioeconomy is no longer an abstract concept—it is taking shape in fields, forests, and village enterprises, where conservation and industry are beginning to grow as part of the same economic future.

Di Kabupaten Seruyan, apa yang dulu dianggap sebagai pilihan antara melindungi hutan atau mencari nafkah perlahan berubah menjadi cerita baru, di mana konservasi dan industri berkembang berdampingan melalui bioekonomi regeneratif.

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Bagi Anjar Wahyono dan warga lain di Ulak Batu, sebuah desa kecil di Seruyan yang hanya bisa dicapai dengan perahu, konservasi dulu terasa seperti ancaman. Bagi mereka, hal itu berarti pembatasan dalam memanfaatkan lahan untuk menghidupi keluarga mereka. Dalam banyak hal, kondisi Seruyan mencerminkan persoalan ini. Di bagian utara dan selatan kabupaten, di mana hutan sebagian besar masih utuh, tingkat kemiskinan terlihat lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan wilayah tengah yang sudah banyak perkebunan kelapa sawit. Di tepi hutan, rumah-rumah kayu dan gubuk sederhana banyak ditemui; sementara di sekitar perkebunan kelapa sawit, rumah lebih kokoh dan pendapatan lebih stabil. “Bagi komunitas yang bergantung pada hutan dan lahan basah untuk kehidupan sehari-hari, kata ‘konservasi’ terdengar lebih seperti pembatasan daripada perlindungan,” kata Anjar.

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Zair, seorang petani kelapa sawit dari Desa Batu Menangis di bagian tengah-atas Seruyan, dulu melihat sedikit nilai ekonomi dari upaya memulihkan lahan terdegradasi. “Kami selalu tahu menanam pohon itu penting,” ujarnya, “tapi kami tidak tahu pohon mana yang benar-benar memberikan hasil.” Menurut Zair, restorasi terasa abstrak, bagus secara teori tetapi tidak pasti dalam praktik. Pandangan serupa juga dimiliki oleh petani di Desa Asam Baru. Ahmad Tarmiji dan anggota kelompoknya didorong untuk merehabilitasi lahan terdegradasi di desa mereka, namun mereka menghadapi pertanyaan yang sama: jika kami menanam pohon, apakah pohon itu benar-benar akan mendukung mata pencaharian kami?

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Perubahan mulai terjadi seiring Gawi Bapakat memperkenalkan sistem pembayaran untuk jasa lingkungan (Payment for Environmental Services / PES) berskala besar. Praktik berkelanjutan tidak lagi dipandang sebagai pengorbanan atau biaya tambahan. Sebaliknya, melindungi hutan, mencegah kebakaran, dan memulihkan lahan terdegradasi menjadi jalur menuju manfaat nyata. Masyarakat mulai menyadari bahwa konservasi dapat memperkuat, bukan membatasi, mata pencaharian mereka.

 ![Kiri ke kanan: Anjar Wahyono (Ulak Batu), M. Zair (Batu Menangis), Ahmad Tarmiji (Asam Baru), Edi Satria (Tumbang Manjul)](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/blogentity/5870799e-5f35-433c-98d9-a334d9f59060.jpg)

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## **Gawi Bapakat Memberikan Insentif untuk Perlindungan Hutan dan Restorasi Ekosistem**

Di Desa Ulak Batu, area seluas 809 hektar lahan gambut kini dikonservasi melalui skema perhutanan sosial yang mencegah konversi lahan dan ekspansi kelapa sawit. Melalui BUMDes, warga menerima insentif dari Gawi Bapakat untuk memulai usaha ayam petelur, yang kemudian berkembang ke budidaya ayam pedaging. Sekitar tujuh orang kini terlibat langsung dalam kelompok tersebut. Pendapatan dari telur masih relatif terbatas dan belum sepenuhnya memenuhi kebutuhan rumah tangga, namun telah menciptakan arus kas rutin untuk kebutuhan harian. Ayam pedaging dipasarkan di dalam dan di luar desa, memperkuat perdagangan lokal secara bertahap.

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Di bagian utara Seruyan, dimana sebagian tutupan hutan yang tersisa masih dapat dialihfungsikan secara legal untuk peruntukan lain, Desa Tumbang Manjul kini melindungi 4.719 hektar hutan. Edi Satria (47), bersama 60 petani lainnya, menerima insentif berupa pengembangan agroforestri nilam dan budidaya kopi dari perlindungan tersebut. Bagi Edi, nilam menjadi pintu masuk ke sistem pertanian yang terhubung dengan pasar yang jelas.

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*“Di Tumbang Manjul, kami bahkan belum pernah mendengar tentang nilam. Kami baru mengenalnya ketika tim program datang*, *dan bahkan, itu pun pertama kali kami tahu namanya*” ujarnya.

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 ![](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/blogentity/c5be99a6-ecb5-4220-a184-170ca792b68b.jpg)

Pada akhir 2023, Zair diperkenalkan pada program restorasi yang memberinya pilihan baru: menanam pohon kayu dan buah sebagai bagian dari pemulihan lahan. Dalam dua tahun terakhir, perubahan mulai terlihat. Pohon mangga dan rambutan telah tumbuh lebih dari satu meter, sementara petai mencapai tinggi dua hingga tiga meter. Tingkat keberhasilan hidup tanaman relatif tinggi, terutama untuk bibit hasil okulasi, yang diperkirakan mencapai 80–90%. Sementara bibit dari biji tumbuh lebih lambat dan sebagian perlu disulam ulang. Lebih dari 20 anggota kelompok, beberapa mulai menyadari bahwa lahan tidak harus ditinggalkan setelah satu musim tanam.

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Kemudian, hampir 20 hektar lahan yang sebelumnya kurang termanfaatkan kini ditransformasikan menjadi sistem restorasi dan agroforestri jangka panjang yang terhubung dengan pasar di bawah kepemimpinan Ahmad Tarmiji di Desa Asam Baru. Lahan yang terdiri atas kawasan perhutanan sosial, tanah BUMDes, dan lahan milik pribadi direhabilitasi dengan jenis tanaman berfungsi ekologis serta 1.982 bibit kelapa genjah, dilengkapi dengan pisang, kopi, petai, dan balangeran.

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Bagi petani berusia 33 tahun tersebut, ini bukan sekadar diversifikasi komoditas, melainkan pergeseran strategis dari produksi jangka pendek menuju investasi jangka panjang dengan rantai pasok yang lebih jelas dan aman. Bersama sembilan anggota Kelompok Restorasi Asam Baru, ia melakukan pemeliharaan rutin untuk memastikan tata kelola lahan berjalan dengan baik.


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## **Menghubungkan Insentif dengan Industri**

Saat Gawi Bapakat berkembang, informasi mengenai insentif mulai menyebar ke seluruh kabupaten. Seiring waktu, program ini membangun infrastruktur yang diperlukan untuk mulai menghubungkan insentif secara strategis dengan industri yang dikembangkan sebagai bagian dari transisi bioekonomi regeneratif. Pada tahun ketiga, insentif semakin diarahkan ke tanaman dan kegiatan yang terkait dengan fasilitas pengolahan baru ini, memastikan produksi petani memiliki jalur pasar yang jelas dan terstruktur.

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Yang membedakan inisiatif ini dari program sebelumnya adalah kejelasan rantai pasok dan struktur harga sejak awal. Petani tidak diminta menanam terlebih dahulu baru kemudian mencari pembeli. “Kami percaya karena kali ini sudah ada pasar,” ujar Edi, menekankan bahwa kepastian adanya pembeli yang terkonfirmasi sangat penting untuk membangun kepercayaan. Mengetahui siapa yang akan membeli produk, berdasarkan standar apa, dan dalam kisaran harga tertentu, mengurangi ketidakpastian dan memperkuat komitmen petani.

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Bagi Edi, prioritas bukanlah keuntungan besar segera, melainkan keberlanjutan jangka panjang. “Yang penting bagi kami bukan memperoleh keuntungan besar sekaligus. Kami ingin ini ramah lingkungan dan memberikan penghasilan yang stabil, meskipun tidak terlalu tinggi, tapi konsisten,” jelasnya. Jika panen pertama berjalan sesuai perkiraan, nilam dapat menempatkan Tumbang Manjul lebih kuat dalam rantai pasok minyak atsiri, tidak sekadar sebagai lokasi program, tetapi sebagai bagian dari klaster produksi yang stabil dan terhubung pasar. Untuk mendukung ini, Gawi Bapakat telah membangun pabrik yang dilengkapi fasilitas distilasi minyak atsiri dari nilam mentah, memungkinkan pengolahan lokal dan penambahan nilai di dalam kabupaten. Selain itu, pembibitan telah didirikan untuk menyediakan bibit berkualitas dan memastikan ketersediaan bahan tanam yang konsisten bagi petani dampingan.

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Pandangan serupa disampaikan Ahmad Tarmiji. “Yang meyakinkan saya adalah bahwa sejak awal pembeli sudah jelas. Dari persiapan lahan hingga penjualan, semuanya dijelaskan,” ujarnya. Sebelum program restorasi diperkenalkan, lahan hutan sosial dan BUMDes di desanya hampir tidak dimanfaatkan, sementara fokusnya sejak 2012 lebih pada perkebunan kelapa sawit.

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Produk pertama yang akan dipanen dari ekosistem restorasi adalah pisang, yang berfungsi sebagai sekat bakar *(fire break)*. Sementara tanaman utama adalah kelapa genjah yang dapat dipanen pada tahun keempat. Kabupaten Seruyan telah membangun fasilitas pengolahan tepung pisang dan gula kelapa untuk menambah nilai produk. Peluang tambahan, seperti produksi minyak kelapa murni (virgin coconut oil), saat ini sedang dieksplorasi untuk diversifikasi pendapatan. Dengan keterkaitan pasar yang lebih jelas ini, budidaya kelapa genjah menjadi rasional secara ekonomi. “Kalau hanya menanam tanpa tahu akan dijual ke mana, orang akan ragu. Tapi di sini, arahnya jelas,” ujarnya.

 ![](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/blogentity/63f91812-bc8d-48cf-a313-596bbfabbe3f.jpg)


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## **Perubahan Pendapatan**

Di Desa Tumbang Manjul, sepuluh anggota komunitas, termasuk Edi, diperkirakan akan memanen nilam dalam tiga bulan ke depan. Dari luas efektif sekitar 1,5–1,8 hektar, pendapatan tahunan diproyeksikan mencapai Rp810–972 juta secara total. Setiap petani peserta diperkirakan memperoleh minimal Rp4,5 juta per bulan, melebihi Upah Minimum Kabupaten (UMK) Seruyan 2026 sebesar Rp4,05 juta. Nilam menawarkan siklus panen yang relatif cepat dan bisa dibudidayakan di bawah kanopi pohon yang dilestarikan, memungkinkan petani mendapatkan penghasilan sambil tetap menjaga struktur hutan.

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 ![](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/blogentity/320e06d6-328c-4fb3-b33d-9ebab38c3c64.jpg)

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Di lahan Ahmad Tarmiji, pisang diproyeksikan menghasilkan pendapatan pada tahun pertama sekitar Rp8,6 juta per hektar. Kelapa genjah diperkirakan mulai berbuah pada tahun keempat, dengan perkiraan pendapatan tahunan sekitar Rp 53 juta per hektar. Selama lima tahun pertama, rata-rata pendapatan tahunan diproyeksikan Rp 42 juta, meningkat hampir Rp 101 juta per tahun pada lima tahun berikutnya ketika kelapa genjah menjadi komoditas utama yang terintegrasi ke dalam klaster industri kabupaten.

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Sementara beberapa petani masih menunggu panen besar pertama mereka, Mistam sudah mulai merasakan hasil nyata. Di lahan seluas 1,2 hektar miliknya, sekitar 30% saat ini ditanami, ia menanam sawi hijau, kangkung, buncis, dan pare. Melalui Gawi Bapakat, ia mengubah praktik pertaniannya yang sebelumnya sangat bergantung pada bahan kimia menjadi sistem yang kini menggunakan sekitar 70% bahan organik dan 30% pupuk kimia.

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Peralihan ini juga mempengaruhi strategi harga. Sawi yang dibudidayakan dengan pupuk kimia dijual seharga Rp1.500 per kilogram, sementara sawi yang ditanam secara regeneratif dijual Rp3.500 per kilogram. Dalam satu siklus panen, yang dilakukan setiap dua hari, ia berhasil mengumpulkan 64 kilogram buncis yang terjual habis semua.

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Saat menjual produknya, Mistam juga menjelaskan metode budidaya kepada pembeli. Jika pelanggan melihat lubang kecil pada buncis akibat ulat, ia menjawab, “Kalau ulatnya masih hidup, berarti saya tidak memakai bahan kimia.” Penjelasan sederhana ini menjadi cara efektif untuk menyampaikan nilai produk dan membedakan hasil taninya di pasar.

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Perubahan juga terlihat pada tanah. “Sekarang tanah lebih lembab dan mudah diolah. Dulu keras dan kering,” jelas Mistam. Cacing tanah kembali muncul, retensi air meningkat, dan pertumbuhan tanaman menjadi lebih konsisten. Meskipun hasil panen belum meningkat secara dramatis, ia melihat kemajuan yang jelas seiring berjalannya transisi.

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Di Seruyan, bioekonomi regeneratif tidak lagi menjadi konsep abstrak, ia mulai tampak di ladang, hutan, dan usaha desa, di mana konservasi dan industri perlahan berkembang sebagai bagian dari masa depan ekonomi yang sama.

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How Farmers Are Participating in Conservation and Industry to Build Seruyan’s Regenerative Bioeconomy

Bagaimana Petani Berpartisipasi dalam Konservasi dan Industri untuk Membangun Bioekonomi Regeneratif di Seruyan?