Balancing Counterbalancing and INVITATION PhD defence Eusebius Pantja Pramudya [email protected] Balancing and [email protected] Balancing and Counterbalancing Counterbalancing The Indonesian The Indonesian State Addressing Pressures to State Addressing Improve Palm Oil Sector Sustainability Pressures to Improve Monday, 18 June 2018 Palm Oil Sector 11 a.m. Aula Sustainability Generaal Foulkesweg 1 Wageningen Paranymphs Dr. Irene Hadiprayitno [email protected] Reonaldus Paembonan [email protected] Eusebius Pantja Pramudya Eusebius Pantja Pramudya Pantja Eusebius The research of this thesis was made possible through the funding of the Interdisciplinary Research and Education Fund (INREF) of Wageningen University to the SUSPENSE Research Program. The printing of this thesis was financially supported by Wageningen University Cover design: Beatrix Kusuma Ayuwardani Layout for printing: Baster Gunawan and ProefschriftMaken Printing by: ProefschriftMaken Balancing and Counterbalancing The Indonesian State Addressing Pressures to Improve Palm Oil Sector Sustainability, Eusebius Pantja Pramudya Thesis committee Promotor Prof. Dr C.J.A.M. Termeer Professor of Public Administration Wageningen University & Research Co-Promotor Dr O. Hospes Associate Professor Public Administration and Policy Group Wageningen University & Research Other members Prof. Dr A. Booth – School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK Prof. Dr P. Knorringa - Erasmus University Rotterdam Prof. Dr Ir. P. Oosterveer, Wageningen University & Research Prof. Dr Ir. B. Saragih – Bogor Agriculture University, Indonesia This research was conducted under the auspices of the Wageningen School of Social Sciences. Balancing and Counterbalancing The Indonesian State Addressing Pressures to Improve Palm Oil Sector Sustainability, Eusebius Pantja Pramudya Thesis Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of doctor at Wageningen University by the authority of the Rector Magnificus Prof. Dr. A. P. J. Mol in the presence of the Thesis Committee appointed by the Academic Board to be defended in public on Monday 18 June 2018 at 11 a.m. in the Aula. Eusebius Pantja Pramudya Balancing and Counterbalancing The Indonesian State Addressing Pressures to Improve Palm Oil Sector Sustainability, 146 pages. PhD thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands (2018) With references, with summary in English DOI: https://doi.org/10.18174/449954 ISBN: 978-94-6343-773-8 Acknowledgment Though I was the one to take all steps in preparing, conducting and finalizing my PhD re- search, I did not travel alone. Many other people travelled with me, contributing to the suc- cess of my learning process and making my tough journey also a pleasant one. They invested their time and energy, sharing their intelligence in my research endeavour. There are far too many people to thank, without whom this project would not have materialised. I am fortunate to have received several years of funding from an interdisciplinary research program called ‘Towards Environmentally Sustainable and Equitable Palm Oil’ funded by the Interdisciplinary Research and Education Fund (INREF) of Wageningen University. When I started considering PhD research, I could not imagine that I would finally embark on a six- year journey of research and writing. I would say that in these six years, it has been a luxury to spend most of my time working as a researcher, while also struggling to secure a livelihood from short-time assignments. I am indebted to my daily supervisor Dr Otto Hospes and my promotor Prof. Dr C. J. A. M. Termeer. Both Katrien and Otto have been incredibly generous with their time and advice to guide and support me in writing the proposal, the academic articles and the dissertation. I enjoyed the freedom to think and develop a perspective on sustainability in the controversial palm oil sector from a Southern viewpoint. Their insightful questions and challenges pushed me to my limits in developing an academic contribution in my dissertation, particularly at points in time when I was most uncertain about what to do next. I am particularly grateful for their patient willingness to help me work through problems arising in the research and writing, and for their offering of concrete suggestions on how to go about refining the logic of an argument, restructuring the organisation of a chapter, or even conducting field interviews. Their careful reading of each draft chapter of the work enormously improved the dissertation in this final version. Today, I feel that I have taken a big leap from the first supervision meeting in the first week of September 2012 when Katrien asked a question about the theory that I would use. Special thanks go to my friend and mentor the late Dr I. Wibowo Wibisono who until his last days still asked me when I would start doing a PhD, Dr B. Herry Priyono who provided continuous support academically and emotionally, Dr P. Sunu Hardiyanto who welcomed me to the Centre for Environment Study Sanata Dharma University (CESDU) in Yogyakarta, and Dr Enade Perdana Istyastono as the Head of CESDU. The status as an Associate Researcher at CESDU helped to open the network of information especially where suspicions surrounding the motives of foreign organisations might have derailed the research. Behind this achieve- ment, there are also the gurus in the topics of palm oil in Indonesia: Dr Asril Darussamin, Dr Fadhil Hassan, Achmad Manggabarani and Dr. Rosediana Suharto. All of this support enabled me to continue the legacy of my uncle I.J. Kasimo (1900-1986), who assumed key positions in the Indonesian state from 1945 to the early 1960s including the Minister of Agri- culture and the Minister of People Welfare. vi My colleagues at the Public Administration and Policy Group, Wageningen University, were integral to the completion of my journey. Tante Maarit Junnikkala was always ready to assist with everything that guaranteed the continuation of my research. My colleagues from INREF – SUSPENSE Project were a constant source of ideas and encouragement: Greetje Schouten, Sakti Hutabarat, Kartika Pamungkas, KhunYing Somjai Nupueng, Reonaldus Paembonan, Elena Degli Innocenti, Aom Sirilak Somnuek, Kanokwan Saswattecha, Ahmad Dermawan, and Dian Afriyanti. The excellent team of the Public Administration and Policy Group is a superb collective, providing both a challenging academic atmosphere and friendship: Bren- da Shenute, Rebecca Sarku, Sumit Vij, Timothy Karpouzoglou, Art Dewulf, (Sylvia) Karls- son-Vinkhuyzen, Jeroen Candel, Tamara Metze, Robbert Biesbroek, Gerard Breeman and Sabina Stiller, Jonna Gjaltema, Marijn Faling, and Wieke Pot. Sisters and brothers that I met during the research –Louise Nakagawa, Zulfiya Mamatova, Irene Hadiprayitno, Fransesco Cecchi, Yohanes Sondang Kunto, Emilius Pangalajo Sudirjo, Iman K. Nawireja, Aritta Suwar- no and Agung Prasetyo, Albert Serramontmany Hugas, and others – I will miss my time with them in Wageningen. There are also dear friends that stay connected with me and provide abundant emotional and intellectual support: Rini Astuti, Theresia Wuryantari, Hasti Tarekat, Rini Hanifa, Willem Pattinasarany, Nugroho Pratomo, Kahardityo, Rio Rovihandono, Sugeng Bahagijo, Darmawan Triwibowo, and friends and colleagues from Inrise that helped me to ensure the execution and completion of short-term projects for keeping my kitchen smoking, and all my friends that kept giving me support during the study. Conducting field research about the state in Indonesia was both the most challenging and the most rewarding part of this project. I am grateful to people that were helpful in providing pathways to information networks for me, particularly to Hanni Adiati, Dr. Ermanto Faham- syah, Tiur Rumondang, Dr. Samasta Pradhana, Doloksaribu, Rukaiyah Rofiq, Ruddy Lumu- ru, Rudi Putra, Zaidina Abas, the late Dani Dityawan, Octo Wibisono, the late Dr. Bambang Dradjat, Andi Isvandiar Muluk, Vanda, Meynar Sihombing, Desi Kusumadewi, Abdul Aziz, Dr. Herdradjat, Ibu Mia, Dr. Dinna Wisnu, Dr. Denni Puspa Purbasari, and many others. Thank you very much for opening the gate to the networks of state actors, companies, and practitioners related to the topics that I wrote on. I am deeply grateful to all my interviewees who gifted me with insights and personal experiences to guide me to new sources of informa- tion and to understand the nuances and complexities of the Indonesian state in sustainable palm oil issues. For someone whose mastering of the English language is far from perfect, I very often find it difficult to conform my writing to the rules and expression of this language. I must thank the editorial assistance provided by Shane Guthrie, Katrina Lawrence and Joy Burrough who helped to make my English text understandable and publishable. My wife, Beatrix Kusuma Ayuwardani Seran is my hero, giving me complete support, even at times when I imagine doing so was not easy. I also want to thank my family: my parents, Matheus Sanyoto and Caecilia Sukarti, who sowed the seed for seizing intellectual endeavour everywhere it is, my sister Anastasia Pratiwi and her husband Victorianus Susapto, my broth- er Cornelius Tri Prasetyo, my mother Gabriella Achti, my sisters and brothers Wenny, Dion and Dismas, and many others who all encouraged me during this research. vii Table of Contents Chapter 1 ....................................................................................................................1 1.1. Background .................................................................................................................................2