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| INDONESIA Post-Tsunami
Consolidated Assessment |
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| 22 April 2005 |
Contents:
Introduction
Tsunami Impact Overview
The way forward
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Introduction |
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Of all countries hit by the December 2004 tsunami, Indonesia
suffered highest losses and severest damages. More than 126,000
people were killed by the earthquake and the floods. Economic
losses from the earthquake and resultant tsunami were severe,
particularly on the West Coast. Agriculture and small traders
were seriously affected. Infrastructure to support economic
activity has been devastated and its repair is critical to any
rehabiliation effort. Current estimates indicate that as many
as 92,000 farms and small enterprises have been partially or
wholly destroyed. Prior to the disaster, these enterprises provided
employment for approximately 160,000 people. Overall, it is
feared that over 600,000 women and men in Aceh and Nias, about
one fourth of the total working population, have lost their
livelihoods as a result of the disaster. Three months after
the disaster emergency relief operations in the tsunami affected
areas of Sumatra are in full swing. The Government of Indonesia
(GOI) has recognized the need to swiftly and smoothly move from
the relief phase into the rehabilitation and reconstruction
phases. |
Map of the region
click on the image to zoom |
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FAO mobilized a multi-disciplinary team (FAO staff and consultants,
provincial and national Ministry of Agriculture (MoA-GOI) staff and
Agricultural Faculty members from the Syiah Kuala University) to conduct
a rapid assessment of the affected areas within three weeks after
the disaster. More detailed and localized assessments are ongoing.
This enables a consolidated assessment of damages and gives the basis
on which to proceed with rehabilitation and facilitating sustainable
rural development in an integrated manner. |
Tsunami Impact Overview |
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East and West Coast differences
The effects of the earthquake and the resultant tsunami were more
severe along the West than the East Coast. The West Coast, being closer
to the epicenter, received the full impact of the tsunami. The damage
was very severe along unprotected sections of the coastline and extended
as far as six kilometers inland up river systems. Coastal towns and
villages and roads and bridges were ravaged. Loss of livestock and
rice growing areas was severe with debris and layers of sediment of
variable thickness, kind and origin deposited. Along the East Coast,
the damage was more irregular, affecting small coastal areas exposed
to the northerly wave action. Roads and power were not dramatically
affected and, although there are pockets of severe damage, particularly
to fish and shrimp ponds and livestock, the long-term effects are
minimal. The West Coast communities, being the hardest hit, have suffered
a d evastating blow. Exact damage estimates to agriculture are unavailable
as access by road to the majority of the West Coast is still not possible.
It is evident from helicopter flyovers that the majority of coastal
villages and towns along the West Coast have been destroyed
Land, soil, water and infrastructure damages
Survivors' descriptions of the tsunami on the West Coast differ greatly
and depend much on the location (open beaches, bays, headlands, existence
of coconut fringes, etc). However, there appeared to have been a number
of surges (up to three) of varying speed (up to 20 km per hour) and
height (up to 10 meters). These contained varying amounts of sand,
silt, fine clay and organic matter. As the water r eceded, and depending
on the speed of drainage, varying amounts of debris and sedimentation
were left behind. Consequently, the effect on the productive capacity
of land is highly variable and is determined by the thickness, composition
and layering of the sediment and the degree of salt intrusion. In
general, the deposits consist of layers of marine sediments and displaced
topsoil. The closer the land is to the sea, the more sandy are the
sediment layers. Finer sediments appear to have been deposited towards
the upper reaches of the tsunami surge. The effects of the sediment
are both physical (depth and kind of sediment, water logging) and
chemical (fertility and salinity).
As the water receded, many of the feeder and drainage channels in
rice growing areas were destroyed or severely silted and will require
major rehabilitation or reconstruction. |
Many freshwater sources have been destroyed or are contaminated
with salt water - further assessment is required to determine
ground water capacities and identify disrupted water tables.
A total of nearly 40,000 hectares of agricultural land were
affected by the tsunami.
A land damage classification was developed to be able to identify
the needs and to diversify rehabilitation strategies.
The 4 classes are: |
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| Land Damage
Classification |
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| Classes |
Area (ha.) |
Perspectives |
| West |
East |
| A Low damage |
2,900
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4,150
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Quick return to normal expected
without major interventions. |
| B Medium damage |
5,850 |
4,150 |
Return to normal dependent on
specific interventions. |
| C High damage |
17,500 |
0 |
Slow return to normal in 2005;
major rehabilitation works needed; possible reorientation of
land uses. |
| D Permanently Lost |
2,900 |
0 |
No longer part of the land domain;
permanently lost to the sea. |
Click
here for more information on the:
"Land damage classification
and zoning framework" |
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Termporary and permanent
settlements
The number of survivors is unclear as many are in camps or residing
in host communities. The situation is evolving rapidly; there are
clear indications that, three months after the disaster, most people
wish to return to their villages and start again with what remains.
A few have started re-building homes and cultivating lands, especially
in areas that have been less severely affected (minor sediment deposits),
for the rice planting season which was to start February-March. Many
of the affected people are in temporary settlements or being hosted
by communities inland. Many major and minor roads, bridges and power
lines have been destroyed or partially washed away. Relocation of
affected communities away from the coastal areas is considered. Settlement
of displaced persons, whether in camps, temporary settlements, their
original villages or possibly permanent relocation, involves a wide
range of agricultural (land potential, support services, market networks,
etc) and social (political, human rights, etc) issues. This will require
very careful planning and consultation with the communities concerned. |
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| Farmer inspecting damage
and debris on his land |
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Many communities have voluntarily hosted tsunami survivors in
tents, temporary settlements or their own houses. Many of these
communities have potentially productive land that is currently
under-developed. As one community leader commented, internally
displaced persons will provide casual labor in the short-term
and will increase the community's economic wealth if they reside
permanently. Voluntary relocation of internally displaced persons
(IDP), with the consent of host communities, is an alternative
that requires careful consideration. Social fragmentation and
trauma at the family and community level is enormous and will
remain a major problem for many years. Many of the survivors
are male heads of families and, at the time of the tsunami,
were either fishing or working on their land away from their
villages and survived by riding the surge in the open sea or
by climbing trees. |
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Female heads of families were less
fortunate and in many cases were washed away while trying to aid their
children and elder family members. The effects of a large number of
missing or dead on household and community decision-making processes
and labor requirements have yet to be seen. This situation presents
a major challenge in the identification and implementation of appropriate
interventions at the household and community level.
Farm
assets and cash income |
For returnee farmers, the loss of farm assets (cash, building,
seed, livestock, tools, etc), cash income (vegetables, coconut,
oil palm, peanuts, cocoa, rubber, etc) and support services
(rented hand tractors, casual labor, agricultural inputs, local
processors, markets, etc) will prevent many farmers from re-entering
the agricultural production cycle and marketing their produce.
The recapitalization of farm enterprises and restoration of
local support services is an immediate priority. The restoration
of market linkages and physical access will also require forward
planning in terms of rehabilitating infrastructure around community
locations. |
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| With irrigation
and assets, farmers are back to business soon |
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Livestock
In many communities, almost all cattle, goats and poultry were lost
or killed. Many buffalo appear to have survived, possibly because
they were able to swim out of danger. Although there is no evidence
of the major animal diseases (water-borne, clostridia, parasites,
etc), careful monitoring of livestock health status is required. Roving
herds of ownerless, cattle, buffalo, goats and sheep may cause problems
in the coming cropping season and will need to be returned to their
rightful owners. Restocking of backyard poultry and small ruminants
(goats and sheep) will be required. Restocking of buffalo appears
to be less of a priority as the majority of rice farmers use hand
tractors for rice cultivation.
Land tenure and titling
Official land tenure records and customary records held in the "communal
memory" may have been lost - there will undoubtedly be disputes over
the use and transfer of land previously owned by now deceased community
members. Local community mechanisms for dispute resolution and arbitration
should be encouraged.
Traders, agro-processors and market
networks
Large sections of the road and almost all bridges on the West Coast
have been destroyed. This road was the only access to major trading
centers and markets and must be repaired to restore input provision
and market access. Local trading shops, rice mills and processing
plants have been destroyed and will need to be replaced, in accordance
with community re-establishment and household demand. As a consequence,
many farming communities outside the tsunami-affected area are now
indirectly affected through the direct impact of the tsunami on supporting
processing and market infrastructure. Small and large traders on the
West Coast have been badly affected by the tsunami, not only in terms
of infrastructure and inventory, but also capital lost due to inability
to repay debts. These important members of the service industry will
be unable to recover without timely and substantive capital injection.
Also, the palm oil terminal to the north of Meulaboh and poultry farms
south will need to be rehabilitated.
Intermediate Support
Organizations (ISO)
Over 90% of the district and sub-district government offices on the
West Coast were destroyed and over 40% of staff died. Newly recruited
field staff will need to be trained and offices repaired or reconstructed.
Local banks (credit access), cooperatives (processing and marketing)
and NGOs involved have also been severely affected and will require
recapitalizing and training. |
The way forward |
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| The initial and later assessment missions
of FAO provide a first overview and will continue to provide
rehabilitation projects with a clearer picture. Because of the
magnitude of the disaster and the efforts needed for local transportation,
validation and updating at the local level remains a very important
focus of FAO. On basis of the current assessments MoA and FAO
are proceeding with a comprehensive framework for rehabilitation.
Important elements in the recovey and rehabilitation strategy
will be: |
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| Clearing debris
from the fields in West Aceh |
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Guiding principles
The overarching goal is to restore livelihoods and rehabilitate farming
systems and beyond that to facilitate sustainable rural development
that overcomes previous weaknesses. Return to pre-tsunami conditions
is not even an option in many cases. Building a thriving agricultural
sector requires adherence to a strong set of guiding principles:
• Recovery before growth - Survivors
of the disaster are now unemployed and have no means of livelihood.
Re-establishing livelihoods is the over-riding objective in the rehabilitation
and reconstruction phases. Immediate efforts need to focus on approaches
that recapitalize households (through grants) that have lost their
key productive assets;
• Acehnese must be
at the center of the development process - All assistance
towards rebuilding the lives, confidence, and dignity of the Acehnese
people must take into consideration the social, cultural and religious
norms in the province. As such, engaging civil society organizations
with networks and branches down to the village-level is necessary
to ensure that programs for rehabilitation and reconstruction are
designed in a participatory and people-centered manner. Enabling communities
to engage with and influence policy and decision-makers at the local,
district and provincial levels creates sustainable empowerment by
which they will be able to exercise their rights in the future. Women
are central in Acehnese culture and history. The importance of including
women in consensus building process cannot be overstated. Specific
interventions are needed to support local women's NGOs and ensure
that women have a role in decision-making, implementation and oversight
of programs at community level;
• Household
income and asset accumulation - Re-establishing and improving
household production and reconstructing and strengthening the private
sector through development of processing, markets, business development
and financial services and small enterprises, will lead to improved
incomes and asset accumulation;
• Infrastructure
- Improvements in public services and infrastructure will have the
twin benefits of reducing vulnerability (for example, through improved
transport and communications, and social protection schemes) and improving
skills (which in turn improve their ability manage productive activities
or find employment);
It is important to move smoothly through the three interrelated development
phases -relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction- towards the development
of a sustainable agricultural sector. Furthermore, mandates and competences
of different actors should be respected existing interventions complemented
by building partnerships and coordinating activities that are being
undertaken by various organisations (government, NGOs and donors).
The upcoming framework will focus strongly on capacity building (since
government as well as civil society have suffered high losses).
Strategy for recovery
The strategy for recovery aims at assisting people and communities
to restart farming and economic activity and to prepare the way for
sustainable development and diversification of livelihoods. Priority
should be given to helping people rebuild their asset base. In the
short-term this should include activities that create local employment,
such as rehabilitation of irrigation and drainages ditches, rice field
bunds, removal of debris and cultivation of soils covered by sediment
(more applicable for land damage classifications A and B). Cash-for-work
programs are designed to rebuild capital assets as quickly as possible.
In the longer term, assistance should be provided so communities can
re-establish their physical assets to increase their security and
sense of belonging. This can be achieved by providing assistance to
relocate and build up land, housing and basic domestic goods and by
restoring rice mills and agro-processing plants that are critical
to marketing of agricultural products and by-products. From the beginning
this process will have to be geared towards capacity building and
diversification to overcome pre-tsunami vulnerability.
Objectives and activities
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| Field already planted after
the tsunami |
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• Objective 1: Restoring
agricultural production. It is crucial to provide necessary
inputs, such as supplies and equipment as well as cash-for-work
schemes (particularly for land reclamation) to recapitalize
farm enterprises and rural livelihoods. Due to the severe financial
situation of the affected households, supplies and equipment
should be provided free of charge to individuals and farmers
groups. After farmers have recovered their livelihoods, their
capacity should be further strengthened so they can better predict
and manage risk and mitigate losses. This will include sound
management of natural resources and individual assets. Activities
under this objective include provision of an agricultural input
'starter kit', community-based action planning and establishing
micro-credit schemes, improving integration of community action
plans with local government's initiatives; |
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• Objective 2: Restoring land and water capacity.
Damage to agricultural land (debris, sedimentation, salinization of
land and siltation of irrigation feeder and drainage canals) is highly
variable and not location-specific. As such, detailed assessments
to determine the extent and nature of the damage and methods of land
reclamation should be conducted immediately. Reclamation of land on
the West Coast is a complicated issue and will involve diverse remedial
approaches. Activities will include cleaning of trash and debris by
farmers and machinery, removal of sediments through physical removal
or mixing, leaching of salt (in saline pockets), relevelling and bunding
paddy fields and restoring soil structure and good chemical properties
where necessary. Furthermore reconstruction of irrigation and drainage
canals as well as access roads will have to be done by communities,
if needed with technical assistance and by skilled contractors. In
cases where lands have been lost for agriculture (some of Class C
and Class D) the remaining lands must be reallocated to some useful
use. Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM) will help communities
identifying possibilities for future landuse;
• Objective 3:
Raising and diversifying the capacity of agricultural stakeholders.
Restoring, raising and/or diversifying the capacity of stakeholders
engaged into agricultural activities are the key to a successful recovery
plan. Land reclamation cannot be achieved without strengthening the
capacity of local private experts and provincial/district officers.
Likewise, diversification of production cannot be realized without
the support of skilled extension officers. Support organisations have
suffered huge capacity losses, and while they are in a position to
help farmers, they have to come to grips to the new situation themselves.
A detailed constraint analysis is required to identify the strengths
and weaknesses of the support organisations involved in the development
of the agricultural sector and their rehabilitation requirements.
Activities under this objective will have local, district and province-wide
dimensions. Activities will include rehabilitation of offices, means
of communication and transport, training and recruitment of staff
and support to the organisations in project prioritization, planning,
implementation and coordination. Enterprise and financial support
is needed (trainings, action research) to determine community needs
and to encourage existing and potential financial services providers
to (re)invest in the tsunami-affected areas. NGOs will be supported
to organise and mobilise communities, to facilitate community action
planning and improve monitoring and evaluation techniques.
Targeting program activities
Detailed program activities in the planning framework would be sequenced,
based on an estimation of the critical nature of the damage and the
inherent resilience of the system. Immediate efforts focus on recapitalizing
households, whereas in the longer term, strategies are based on the
premise that enterprise development and livelihoods diversification
will be the 'engines of change' and of reconstruction for the affected
areas, while community-based planning, and capacity building for diversification
and integrated planning are central in all phases. Planning covers
all affected areas of northern Sumatra. However, constraints and opportunities
for intervention, especially those concerned with enterprise development
and livelihoods diversification, will be highly location-specific.
These community-led, location-specific interventions should also be
supported by funding and larger-scale provincial/national and policy
interventions. The upcoming framework would therefore be designed
to have different types of interventions for village, provincial and
national (policy) level.
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