Master Plan EMRP

In October 2006, the Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation, Agnes van Ardenne-van der Hoeven, visited Palangka Raya in Central Kalimantan to understand the challenges of rehabilitating and revitalising the Ex-Mega Rice Project area and assess Dutch support for the Central Kalimantan Peatland Project.

At the time of her visit uncontrolled fires burning in the Ex-Mega Rice Project area and elsewhere had led to a thick fog of smoke and haze to cloud Palangka Raya and much of the province, causing considerable losses to the local economy and serious impacts on the health of local residents. The airport in Palangka Raya was also closed, forcing the Minister to reroute her visit.

During the visit, the Governor of Central Kalimantan, Mr A. Teras Narang S.H., requested the assistance of the Dutch government to help with this situation through the creation of a Master Plan to guide the rehabilitation and revitalization of the Ex-Mega Rice Project area.

The Netherlands has considerable experience in water and peat management, which forms the key to successfully managing the this peat and lowland area. Starting in October 2007, a consortium of Dutch organizations led by Euroconsult MottMacDonald and Deltares | Delft Hydraulics began the work to develop the Master Plan. Deploying a multi-disciplinary team, the Master Plan was completed in one year given the urgency in beginning work to address the situation.