Exchanging rifles for life-changing opportunities
In the shadow of one of the tallest peaks in Borneo, Mount Nyiut, village members gather - rifles in hand, for the sake of conservation.
Historically used for hunting wild game in the rainforest surrounding Mount Niut, these rifles have been so efficient at helping hunters secure wild meat that many villagers are finding themselves walking farther and spending more time in the forest just to find enough food to feed their families. As a result, food insecurity is on the rise in rural areas across West Kalimantan, Borneo, putting many families at risk of hunger.
In a coordinated effort between Yayasan Planet Indonesia and BKSDA Kalimantan Barat, community members gather to exchange their rifles to the government for equipment, such as farming tools, clean water dams, internet towers, or funds that can all be reinvested into sustainable practices such as climate-smart agriculture or organic farming. The exchange not only helps foster an environment where food security becomes more consistent for villagers, driving away hunger, but it also creates an environment where the once hunted wild species, such as the Helmeted hornbill or various gibbon species, can begin to repopulate the rainforests. Since the health of wildlife populations and human populations are inextricably linked, the return of these rare species will have drastic and positive effects on nearby communities.
This program recently saw the exchange of 75 rifles from three communities in the Bengkayang District, in addition to over 150 rifles exchanged last year in the neighboring Landak District. Assisting these exchanges were the Resort Police of Bengkayang, Sector Police of Sanggau Ledo, Public Order and Safety of Pisak, General Attorney Office of Bengkayang, Pisak Head of Village, head of sub-villages, and community representatives from Umbo, Mensibu, and Dawar - which initiated the recent rifle buy-back event.
Sadtata Noor Adirahmanta, Head of BKSDA Kalimantan Barat, was in attendance during this most recent rifle buy-back program and expressed his appreciation for Planet Indonesia’s long-time support of this program.
“A good dialogue between area managers and the community will certainly be able to identify answers to the challenges in conservation area management sites. The voluntary handing over of these rifles is clear proof that problems and solutions can be realized through dialogue. This is a good first step in the collaborative management of Gunung Nyiut Nature Reserve between the government and the community” - Sadtata Noor Adirahmanta
According to BKSDA Kalimantan Barat, 200+ rifles have been exchanged over the past two years in various communities across West Kalimantan, Borneo for benefits relating to Planet Indonesia’s Conservation Cooperatives Program. With the incredible success this program is having, we are excited to continue scaling up this work and to begin to work with other districts in West Kalimantan including expanding our reach in the Landak District and communities associated with our newest project site, Gunung Naning.
Looking for more? Read How the chainsaw and rifle buyback program fits into our programs.
This work is funded in part by the UK Government through the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund.
If you have any questions, please reach out via admin@planetindonesia.org. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on our social media Facebook here and Instagram here to get timely updates on our activities, an insider’s look into the lives of front-line conservationists, and ongoing programs.