Overview of the Sebangau Katingan Landscape (SEKA)

Central Kalimantan Province serves as a critical conservation frontier in Indonesia, harboring extensive tropical peatlands and serving as a vital stronghold for Bornean wildlife. The Sebangau Katingan Landscape represents nearly 25% of the province's forest area, positioning it as strategically important for both regional biodiversity conservation and national climate commitments. The province faces mounting pressures from agricultural expansion, resource extraction, and infrastructure development, making integrated landscape management essential for balancing conservation with sustainable development objectives.

SEKA covers 2.35 million hectares in Central Kalimantan province, representing nearly 25% of the province's total forest area. The landscape includes critical ecosystems: 1,346,000 hectares of peatland, 270,000 hectares of heath forest, 70,000 hectares of mangrove and over 1 million hectares of other forest types. The area's extensive peatland ecosystems store substantial amounts of carbon and plays a crucial role in global climate regulation.  Main sustainability issues include deforestation, peatland degradation, habitat fragmentation for endemic primates (orangutans and proboscis monkeys), and carbon emissions from land use change. WWF Indonesia supports the government-led sustainable development vision by mainstreaming HCV/HCS area protection and promoting best management practices. The initiative addresses interconnected challenges of biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, and sustainable livelihoods through an integrated landscape approach involving government, communities, and private sector partners.

Ø Key Facts & Figures 

• Total Landscape Area: 2.35 million hectares 
• Current Forest Cover: Approximately 1.7 million hectares, representing around 47% of the landscape 
• Ecosystem Condition 
• Degraded Ecosystems: Approximately 1.1 million hectares of land are classified as degraded and require restoration interventions 
• Fragmented Habitat: Around 8,000 hectares of fragmented forest have been identified as a priority for restoration and habitat reconnection efforts 
• Biodiversity Significance 
• Bornean Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii): Approximately 9,700 individuals inhabit the landscape 
• Proboscis Monkeys (Nasalis larvatus): Approximately 500 individuals occur within the landscape 
• Species Outside Protected Areas: Nearly 70% of these key wildlife populations live outside formally protected areas, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts across production and community-managed landscapes

 

The Reckitt–WWF Initiative in SEKA

The collaboration between Reckitt and WWF in the SEKA Landscape strategically looked at the strongest overlap between WWF’s conservation priorities and Reckitt’s palm oil supply chain.  At the outset of the partnership, the landscape’s role in palm oil sourcing highlighted a strategic opportunity to address environmental and social challenges through coordinated, landscape-level action.”

The initiative emerged in response to growing pressures on the ecosystem, including the degradation of approximately 1.1 million hectares of natural habitat, increasing landscape fragmentation, and ongoing threats to biodiversity. At the same time, many independent smallholder farmers faced land legality challenges that limited their access to markets, sustainable certification schemes, and long-term livelihood opportunities.

To address these interconnected challenges, the partnership adopted a forest-positive landscape approach aimed at halting environmental degradation, protecting biodiversity, and supporting resilient rural livelihoods. A key component of this strategy is the implementation of long-term restoration and livelihood improvement measures, including transitional agroforestry systems known locally as Jangka Benah. Through this approach, the initiative seeks to restore ecological functions, strengthen community resilience, and create sustainable pathways for smallholder farmers while contributing to broader climate and conservation goals.

Our Objective: The Reckitt–WWF partnership in the SEKA aims to transform palm oil production into a driver of forest conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and responsible supply chains. Through collaboration with smallholders, companies, government agencies, and local communities, the initiative seeks to achieve the following objectives by 2028. 

Ø Measuring Progress 

The initiative tracks progress through measurable outcomes across sustainable production, supply chain transparency, landscape restoration, and market engagement. 

Sustainable Production 

• Environmental, social, and economic baseline assessments completed across the landscape. 
• More than 1,000 smallholders trained in sustainable palm oil practices and certification requirements. 
• At least 200 smallholders achieving RSPO and/or ISPO certification. 
• Local farmer organizations and sustainability champions established to support long-term impact. 

Supply Chain Transparency 

• Comprehensive mapping of smallholders, mills, and supply chains across the SEKA Landscape. 
• At least 500 smallholders participating in traceability systems and meeting international market requirements. 
• Increased adoption of the Hamurni platform to strengthen responsible sourcing and transparency. 

Landscape Restoration 

• Priority restoration and habitat connectivity areas identified and monitored. 
• At least 50 hectares of degraded palm oil areas transitioned to Jangka Benah agroforestry systems. 
• Biodiversity and restoration impacts monitored to measure ecosystem recovery. 

 

Investment Opportunities in SEKA

The SEKA Landscape presents a range of high-impact investment opportunities that can deliver measurable environmental, social, and climate benefits while supporting sustainable supply chains and community livelihoods. 

• Scaling Up Transitional Agroforestry (Jangka Benah Strategy) 

The Jangka Benah Strategy is a long-term ecosystem rehabilitation approach designed to restore degraded forest landscapes while maintaining and improving smallholder livelihoods. With approximately 1.1 million hectares of degraded land across the SEKA Landscape, there is significant potential to expand this proven restoration model. 

An estimated 8,000 hectares of fragmented habitat require immediate restoration support to reconnect critical wildlife corridors and improve habitat connectivity for endangered species, including the Bornean orangutan and proboscis monkey. Investment in Jangka Benah can contribute directly to biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and community resilience. 

• Empowering Independent Smallholders 

Approximately 4,250 independent smallholder farmers manage a combined area of 8,528 hectares within the landscape. These farmers play a critical role in achieving sustainable land-use outcomes but often face barriers related to land tenure, productivity, and access to sustainable management practices. 

Investment opportunities include: 

• Supporting land legality and tenure processes; 
• Improving agricultural productivity and farm management; 
• Expanding the use of the Hamurni digital application to promote sustainable plantation practices and strengthen monitoring systems. 

 

• Advancing Sustainable Palm Oil Certification 

Despite increasing commitments to sustainable sourcing, market demand for certified sustainable palm oil remains a challenge. Companies can help bridge this gap by supporting suppliers through the certification process of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and increasing the uptake of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) within their supply chains. 

Such investments can strengthen supply chain transparency, improve environmental performance, and create stronger incentives for sustainable production. 

• Supporting Alternative Livelihoods Through Ecotourism 

Diversifying local income sources is essential for reducing pressure on natural ecosystems. One promising opportunity is the development of community-based ecotourism initiatives, such as the Talali Ecotourism Center, which combines wildlife research, orangutan conservation, and sustainable tourism. 

Investment in ecotourism can generate alternative economic opportunities for communities living around palm oil concessions while promoting conservation awareness and long-term stewardship of natural resources. 

• Biodiversity Conservation Beyond Protected Areas 

Approximately 70% of key species, including the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) and the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus), occur outside formally protected areas. As a result, private sector engagement is essential to securing the future of these species. 

Companies have a unique opportunity to support biodiversity conservation directly within their concession areas through habitat protection, restoration initiatives, wildlife monitoring, and landscape-level conservation partnerships. These investments can generate meaningful conservation outcomes while contributing to corporate sustainability and nature-positive commitments.