The Transmigration Program in Agricultural Development

The major purpose of the transmigration program is identified in the guidelines for the transmigration policy presented in the national and regional

REPELITA (five-year development plans). However, the priorities have varied

over time. Historically, the main official objective of this program was to redistribute the excess population of Java and Bali to the Outer Islands.

During REPELITA I (1969-1973) and II (1974-1978) the government promoted agricultural development through intensification programs, especially in Java, and the expansion of agricultural lands in the Outer Islands. Food

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shortages in the late 1960s had caused Indonesia to become the world's largest rice importer. Thus, the first economic objective of the New Order government was to achieve national self-sufficiency in rice, and the transmigration program became an important element of this policy. During REPELITA III (1979-1983) the transmigration program became sector oriented. It was essentially an agricultural food crop program, although it later expanded to include tree crop production. Under REPELITA IV (1984-1988), the focus widened to a multisectoral approach with the goal of regional development (Fasbender and Erbe, 1990:40).

The transmigration program was regarded as a means of developing food production on the Outer Islands. Until REPELITA III, Sumatra was the most important settlement region, but then the government switched the focus to other parts of Indonesia, particularly Kalimantan and Irian Jay a, the major reason being the limited availability of suitable land in Sumatra.

With suitable sites already in short supply, the only places for transmigration settlements were in marginal lands (Arndt, 1984:40-41; Hardjono, 1986:34; Otten, 1986a:83-85). Soewardi et al (1980:57) classified the areas into three groups: tidal swamps, primary forests, and alang-alang grasslands. Development of these areas required more effort, higher investment and different strategies than the more fertile areas (Dixon, 1980:17-31; Tjondronegoro, 1982:56).

The over-extension of settlement into unsuitable marginal land was due to over-ambitious resettlement targets (Hardjono, 1986:33-34; Secrett, 1986:82). Many settlements were located on poor quality lands with high risks of failure (Otten, 1986b:72; Secrett, 1986:83). Cleared forests were transformed into farming areas, although these were mostly unsuitable for agriculture. As a result,

the program was subjected to severe criticism during the 1980s (Arndt, 1983:67; Otten, 1986b:71-76; Secrett, 1986:81-85).

It is difficult to quantify the area of agricultural land utilised by transmigrants because of lack of data. Estimates are based on indirect indicators such as the cultivable area apportioned to the transmigrant families. By 1973, transmigration settlements occupied 8 per cent of the total area of agricultural

/6S~/6(f

land in Indonesia, most of it newly cultivated (Babcock, 1986:, ). By 1983,

A

this had incre^ed to 10 per cent orjjoughly 6,000 square kilometres of forests, swamps and grassland?/ The settlement program exnanrlpH nniHiv — One of the conclusions of a review of policies affecting sustainable development of forest lands in Indonesia published in 1985 was that: The Transmigration Programme provides the basis for a much greater destruction of the tropical forest than the settlement figures indicate' (cited in Secrett 1986:82). According to Secrett (1986:82) this has been calculated at 3.3 million ha for the 4th Five- Year Plan period.

2.3.1 The Role of Transmigration in Swamp Agriculture

The reclamation of tidal swamps also became an element of government agricultural policy through the transmigration program (Guinness, 1977:8; Hardjono, 1977:32; Soewardi et al, 1980:57). Figure 2.4 shows that the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan are the main transmigration centres. In Sumatra, swamp transmigration covers more than twice the area as in Kalimantan. The government planned to open swamp lands in Irian Jay a after large scale reclamation, but actual reclamation of swamps in Irian Jaya has been limited, due to criticisms about the implementation of the program there, the failure of several transmigration projects, and development problems in swamp lands.

58 40000 T 35000 - 30000 25000 - 20000 - 15000 10000

Kdimcntcn Sula/vesi Indonesia Sumdra

M S w a rp a e a (1000 ha)

D Swarplransnnig'dion(lOOOha)

Figure 2.4 Area of Tidal Swamps Reclaimed by the Transmigration Program, Indonesia, 1991

Source: Euroconsult, 1991 in Dirjen Tanaman Pangan, 1992:10

During REPELITA I, approximately 500,000 hectares of tidal swamps throughout Indonesia were to be used for transmigration settlements. However, less than 10 per cent of the target was achieved. Approximately 33,092 hectares of swamp were reclaimed, 17,533 hectares in Sumatra and 15,559 hectares in Kalimantan (Collier, 1980:37). About 8,700 families from Java and Bali were settled in these areas during this period (Swamps II, 1991:3). During REPELITA

II, the government increased its swamp land target to one million hectares, but then reduced it to 250,000 hectares (Collier, 1980:37) due to difficulties in the preparation of the drainage systems. During REPELITA III, 400,000 hectares of swamp land were opened in Sumatra, especially in Riau, Jambi and South Sumatra, and in all the provinces of Kalimantan except East Kalimantan (Swamps II, 1991:4). Large scale swamp reclamation under this period was for the government policy of expanding transmigration. By REPELITA III, about 18 per cent of all transmigrants were being placed in swamp locations (Davis,

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In South Kalimantan, the swamp transmigration settlements were concentrated along the bank of the Bari to River. The locations were initially around the three main canals of Tamban, Serapat and Talaran (Damanik, 1990:204). These link the Barito and Kapuas Rivers, functioning as routes for water transportation. The new settlements were located approximately seven kilometres further inland than the Barito River throughout Pulau Petak (Map 2.5).

Swamp settlement in South Kalimantan was initiated by the Dutch government. The first settlement was between 1937 and 1939, when the Dutch government settled 300 families in tidal swamps in Anjir Tamban, now called Purwosari. The first group of 115 Javanese families was settled along the Tamban canal in 1937. When they arrived, it was still swamp forest, and only the primary canal had been constructed by the Dutch government. The settlers had to dig the secondary canals, open the forest and clear the site for agriculture and settlement, and build their own houses (Collier, 1980:40-41).

Purwosari was considered to be a successful settlement. Collier (1980:42) believed that its success resulted from the Javanese adoption of the traditional swamp cultivation methods of Banjarese. Reclamation of swamps for rice, followed by intercropping of rice and coconut, before eventual conversion to coconut plantation, was the basic farming model. However, Tirtosudarmo (1990:198) argued that the viability of the settlement was primarily the result of the Dutch enforcement of agricultural practices.

■ Village --- Canal & pond

SAKALAGUN

BARAMBAI

BELAWANG Marabahan

Kuala Kapuas g _TATAS

SEISELUANG SEIMOHUR TERANGTANG TAMBAN LUAR 20 km BANJARMASIN TAMBAN LUPAK V - JELEPAT

Purwosari ■ LUPAK LUAR TABUNGANEN KALIMANTAN Pulau Petak JA VA SEA

Map 2.5 Swamp Transmigration Settlements in South Kalimantan