Strengthening the implementation of West Kalimantan Governor Regulation No. 33 of 2022 on the development of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as a driving force for the forest-based economy in West Kalimantan

Increasing the commercial value of nontimber forest products (NTFPs), such as illipe nuts (tengkawang), wild honey, kratom, and rattan, offers a powerful economic mechanism to enhance regional development, create local jobs, and boost smallholder incomes in the Indonesia.

West Kalimantan has established a crucial legal framework through Governor Regulation No. 33/2022 and Governor Regulation No. 7/2024 to promote the sustainable management of NTFPs, improve community well-being, and strengthen the role of farmers and NTFP business operators.

Governor Regulation No. 33 is adequate as a normative foundation, but it is not yet robust enough as a regional economic implementation system to change land use practice. It remains weak in terms of implementing regulations, NTFP priority setting, data integration, cross-sectoral coordination and value chain support.

If these gaps are not addressed immediately, the regulation risks remaining a normative document lacking strong economic enforcement power for the community and smallholder farmers.

This briefing outlines key next steps for tackling these gaps.