MADANI Berkelanjutan, Ekonesia, and WALHI Central Sulawesi Launch Social and Environmental Safeguards Study for Nusantara Food Estate in Talaga
Palu, February 17, 2025 — MADANI Berkelanjutan, together with the Nusantara Ecology Foundation (Ekonesia) and the Central Sulawesi chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI), officially launched a public policy study titled Social and Environmental Safeguards for the Nusantara Food Estate (KPN) Talaga in Palu on Monday.
The study aims to ensure that the project is implemented in line with social and environmental sustainability principles. The result is an official document outlining key safeguard principles, which are expected to serve as a guideline for government stakeholders and project implementers. This document is the first of its kind developed by civil society organizations in Central Sulawesi and holds the potential to become a reference for other national strategic projects in the future.
Azmi Sirajuddin, Executive Director of Ekonesia, expressed his hope that the study can guide the government and project implementers in managing the KPN Talaga area sustainably.
The event, held at Jazz Hotel in Palu, was attended by various stakeholders, including NGOs, government agencies, representatives from Talaga Village government and communities, journalists, and Ridha Saleh, Senior Expert Staff to the Governor of Central Sulawesi.
KPN Talaga has been developed since 2022 as a pilot food estate project spanning 1,123.5 hectares in Talaga Village, Dampelas Subdistrict, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi. Throughout its development, various stakeholders have been involved in formulating social and environmental safeguard standards to ensure the project is carried out sustainably.
Yosi Amelia, Forest and Climate Program Officer at MADANI Berkelanjutan, emphasized the importance of social and ecological justice in the project. She noted that while KPN Talaga has clearer legal frameworks than similar areas, its implementation continues to draw criticism from local communities and civil society groups.
The study adopts the Cancun Safeguards standard, which was ratified during the UNFCCC COP 16 in 2010 and officially adopted by the Indonesian government. The safeguards include five core principles and eleven indicators that serve as benchmarks for success.
However, there are several challenges in the implementation of KPN Talaga, particularly regarding its impact on the environment and surrounding communities. Issues raised include land clearing activities that could affect local ecosystems and resource management practices that are not yet fully aligned with the interests of local communities.
In the context of sustainability, the study also highlights the importance of aligning policy implementation with emission reduction efforts that have been underway in Central Sulawesi since 2010. The presence of the KPN Talaga project should reinforce climate change mitigation strategies and environmental conservation efforts.
Moreover, the study calls for more transparent and equitable governance—both socially and ecologically. With this social and environmental safeguard document in place, it is expected that the project can be implemented with strong consideration for sustainability principles and the wellbeing of local communities.
Sunardi Katili, Executive Director of WALHI Central Sulawesi, noted that the region hosts four major National Strategic Programs: the Palapas Economic Zone (KAPET Palapas), the Palu Special Economic Zone (KEK Palu), an industrial area, and a liquefied gas industrial zone. He emphasized the need for a deeper review of the KPN Talaga project to assess its impact on the 2,793 residents of Talaga Village, 80% of whom depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Therefore, transparency in the management of KPN Talaga is crucial to ensure that local communities truly benefit from the project rather than suffer its consequences.
