Towards mutually beneficial partnership in outgrower schemes: lessons learned from Indonesia

Outgrower scheme initiatives in Indonesia have occured particularly in response to rapid changes in the sociopolitical situation in Indonesia. This situation has influenced forestry platnation industries to practice more socially oriented management in daily operations, and also in the same time as a way to secure company wood supplies. Despite the emerging private initiatives on outgrower schemes, companies do not generally have clear idea on the mechanisms that would work best in the field and to what extent participatory approaches could be used in ensuring a full commitment from landowner/tree grower partners whithout jeopardizing the companies' economic pronciple of cost efficiency. This study intends to provide comprehensive understanding to the private timber plantation companies, or to those implementing outgrower schemes, or to those who wish to initiate feasible outgrower schemes by considering the expectations from small-scale tree grower partners