FORMADAT: The Alliance of the Indigenous Peoples of the Highlands in the Heart of Borneo

This trans-border indigenous peoples alliance came together in 2004 to build on the shared historical and cultural bonds between the Lundayeh, Kelabit, Lun Bawang, and Sa'ban peoples living in the highlands of the heart of Borneo. The Alliance of the Indigenous Peoples of the Highlands in the Heart of Borneo (FORMADAT) aims to integrate conservation and development at the landscape level and to generate benefits for local people by preserving the rich natural and cultural diversity of the region, an area that includes the largest surviving intact forested and traditionally farmed catchment area on the island of Borneo. Farmers in the region use a traditional wet rice farming system, developed over centuries, which allows the same fields to be farmed continually and is unique in Borneo where most use shifting agriculture. The group has prioritized farming native varieties of rice and fruits, building innovative value-added supply chains to NGOs and networks such as Slow Food International. FORMADAT also works as an advocacy network that actively lobbies for greater land tenure security, indigenous peoples rights, and forest protection. Several member communities have conducted territorial mapping and campaigned to gain rights to their traditional lands, including collaborative management of lands inside an Indonesian national park.

Case Study