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Small-scale furniture making in Indonesia Growing impact after the project

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In 2013, we celebrated the Jepara Furniture Project, which increased green timber practices and improved the bargaining power and business knowledge of small-scale furniture producers. After the project had finished, thanks to a KNOWFOR grant, the project team was able to take the impact even further.
 

Supported by a whole suite of communication products, they made sure influencers and implementers in policy and practice were well informed of the research outcomes. And as Herry Purnomo the project lead had predicted, the word spread and the impact continued.

A district level law that ensures capacity building support and funding for small-scale producers and green furniture was passed. The Jepara Small-Scale Furniture Producers Association (APKJ) that the project formed has also continued to grow and its members have represented the group at trade exhibitions in Indonesia, China, India and East Timor.

Finally, incomes of association members have grown. At the last check, member incomes were 20% higher than those of non-members.

The global players do not need the big players. Even if you’re small, you can be global.

Herry Purnomo
CIFOR Scientist

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Value-chain dynamics: strengthening the institution of small-scale furniture producers to improve their value addition
Free trade in Asia could aggravate the situation of small-scale furniture producers, if they are not strengthened. The furniture value chain describes the role of different actors in the furniture business from forest to market. Each actor contributes to, and obtains benefits from, the chain. Research was conducted in Jepara, Central Java, the centre of furniture production in Indonesia.