Yagasu
Yagasu is an Indonesian Foundation (NGO) with over 22 years of practical experiences on land-based climate actions. The Foundation was established to fulfil a unique role – providing innovative space and finance for long term programs that would enhance species and habitat conservation, climate mitigation and adaptation, nature-based solutions, and community green economy.
The initial establishment of Yagasu was dedicated for elephant and forest conservation in 2001, so why our organization were called as Yayasan Gajah Sumatra (Yagasu) – Sumatran Elephant Foundation. We enlarged our program into coastal ecosystem restoration and protection since 2005 to respond post tsunami recovery in Aceh. Started in 2009, Yagasu implements climate actions on blue carbon- and agroforestry projects, funded through carbon investment and grant mechanism. The field activities include i) land and social assessment, ii) public engagement, iii) capacity building, and R&D (Research & Development), iv) awareness program, v) nursery, planting trees, and MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification), vi) ecosystem conservation, vii) marketing community products on organic and climate label, and viii) empowering women groups.
Yagasu builds a vibrant partnership from various backgrounds who share a common smart vision and culture of cooperation, innovation, and professionalism. We implement sustainable programs at the local level, but it can play an important role on global networks. We pursue this vision through a combination of community training, advocacy, media campaign, policy development, social business, and field project evidence.
Legal Operation
Yagasu was established as a Foundation (Non-Government Organization – NGO) at the Public Notary “Risna Rahmi Arifa, SH” in Medan on July 17, 2001 (“Akte No 7”). Adjusted to the new Indonesian Foundation Law, the “Yayasan” was registered under the name of “Yayasan Gajah Sumatera (Yagasu) Aceh at the Public Notary “Sabaruddin Salam, S.H., SpN on 11 May 2006 (“Akte No. 81”) and it was certified by the Decree of Ministry of Law and Human Right, Republic of Indonesia No. C-1192.HT.01.02.TH2007
Yagasu has signed legal agreements with Ministry of Village – Republic of Indonesia and each Provincial Government where the projects implemented. Yagasu project operations are mostly conducted in the community lands (non-state forests). Each blue carbon and agroforestry carbon project is implemented by local community groups according to the 20 years agreement that was approved by the Village Government.
To implement the long-term program, Yagasu consistently follows the international and national regulatory and legal framework of:
- UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) treaty signed in 1992.
- Paris Agreement on Climate Change, adopted in Indonesia on 2015.
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
- Indonesian Law No. 5 Year 1990 about Conservation of Biological Nature Resource and Its Ecosystem
- Indonesian Law No. 5 Year 1994 on Ratification of United Nations Convention concerning Biological Diversity.
- Presidential Decree No 98 Year 2021 on Carbon Economic of Green-house Gas Program in Indonesia.
Mission
To restore and safeguards of mangrove/coastal- and watershed ecosystem for climate change mitigation and adaptation, species and habitat conservation, natural disaster risk reduction and community green economy.
Working principles
- Address the priority actions that are urgently needed in the field, where there is a total lack of- or in-sufficient support from other organizations.
- Respect the traditional and local cultural values, and remain politically neutral.
- Work through partnerships with individuals and institutions at local, national and international levels.
- Work closely with local stakeholders such as private sector, government, NGOs and local communities, and build local capacity as needed.
- Monitor and measure the outputs of each project and activity and adjust the implementation to optimize results.
Strategic program
- Facilitate the presence of unified, inclusive, and active environmental and community development networks; and build shared their local knowledge base.
- Generate government policy supports and public mandates for the necessary policies and actions to conduct integrated climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental programs, and community development.
- Conduct scientific findings and build partnering networks with global scientists, government, and other local stakeholders on the field programs that are designed to tackle the local problem-solution issues in surrounding project areas and improve the health and welfare of local socio-cultural-economic growth.
- Conduct awareness and facilitation which include the programs and activities to revitalize “the revival” of local community capacity and to build common heritage, identity, and social visions for community development. The target of awareness activities is to establish a more positive external image of local stakeholders that is necessary to attract local, national, and international supports.
- Mobilize local community groups to restore degraded- and conserve existing mangrove-, coastal- and watershed ecosystems for carbon emission reduction, natural disaster prevention, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable living income.
- Facilitate income generation of local communities that include sustainable program design, value chain and projects to support the development of social business on climate label services and premium organic
Yagasu Team
The Yagasu team consists of management- and project staff, field officers, advisory boards, external national- and international consultants, local stakeholders/village liaisons, volunteers and field supporting persons from government- and local NGO partners.
Key personnel
- Bambang Suprayogi – Founder/CEO
- Dr Meilinda Suriani Harefa – Managing Director for West Zone
- Anton Saputra Siregar – Vice Director of Program Implementation of West Zone
- Fauzia Damayanti – Director of General Affairs for East Zone
- Riza Aditya – Director of Program for East Zone
- Grace Yanti Panjaitan – Vice Director for R&D, Database and MRV
- Prof. Zulkifli Nasution – Scientific Advisory Board
