THE old saying about a donkey not falling twice into the same hole seems not to apply in relation to the food estate project in Central Kalimantan. Instead of learning from the mistakes of the past, the government is repeating them by trying to turn peatland into agricultural areas that are prone to failure.

An investigation by Pantau Gambut, a non-governmental organization focused on environmental issues, has found that more than 270 hectares set aside for the food estate project in Central Kalimantan have been turned into oil palm plantations. These plantations are spread around various villages such as Tajepan, Penda Katapi, Palingkau Jaya and Palingkau Asri in Kapuas Regency.

The oil palms are in a forest area that—according to the Environment and Forestry Ministry—should be being used for the food estate project. However, Wira Usahatama Lestari has secured a right to cultivate (HGU) to plant oil palms on the land.

If the company obtained the HGU before the land was designated for the food estate project, this shows poor coordination and planning on the part of the government when deciding on the project area. Conversely, if the HGU was obtained after the land was designated, this would be a violation of the rules by the company. Both of these possibilities point to a serious problem in the implementation of the project.

Moreover, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) has given the project a ‘red report’. In the 2020-2021 audit, the BPK noted that the multi trillion-rupiah project was not based on valid data or information, its implementation was not going ahead in line with the planning, there was minimum supervision, and the supply of agricultural equipment did not follow the correct procedure.

As well as this, Pantau Gambut reported that the food estate project had resulted in damage to more than 2,000 hectares of peatland, which is a habitat for rare animals such as orangutans and proboscis monkeys. Ironically more than 4,000 hectares of the food estate cleared over the last four years have been neglected. The peatland has become dry, and a number of regions became forest fire areas in 2023.

The findings of the BPK and Pantau Gambut make it clear that the food estate policy in Central Kalimantan has serious problems and is facing potential failure. The project appears to have gone ahead hastily, like similar projects that failed during the Suharto era. President Joko Widodo forced the project through claiming that it would improve food security during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, under the government of President Prabowo Subianto, the food estate project should be halted. Prabowo has every right to propose food self-sufficiency, but this should not result in damage to forests and peatlands. In order to achieve sustainable food self-sufficiency, the government should focus on intensification through agricultural technologies that are more environmentally friendly.

Another important move is to impose strict sanctions on companies proven to have encroached on food estate land to plant oil palms. Only through a firm and sustainable approach will the government be able to bring about food security without falling into the same hole as in the past. If a donkey can learn from its mistakes, surely our government can do it too.