THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY PERSPECTIVE ON THE

GOVERNANCE OF HERBAL MEDICINE IN INDONESIA

R. Widya Setiabudi Sumadinata1 Affabile Rifawan2

1
Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas
Padjadjaran, Jl. Raya Jatinangor Km.21, 45363, Jatinangor, Indonesia
wsetiabudi@yahoo.com; w.setiabudi@unpad.ac.id

Abstract

The abundance of Indonesias biodiversity is a blessing. As second largest biodiversity in the world, Indonesia
has a lot of potent in natural resources of herbal medicine. The ability of Indonesias technology to extract this
source is capable. However, there are some political issues that needs to be adressed in using this potent. In
environmental security perspective, the potentiality and sources of herbal medicine are one of the way to
preserve biodiversity in Indonesia. Moreover, it will be very useful if it is utilized efficiently by Indonesian side.
Herbal medicine is national assets, under this consideration, to describe governance of herbal medicine in
Indonesia through environmental security perspective, this paper using descriptive case study from interview
and literature review to present broader issues in this matter.

Keywords: Herbal medicine, Environmental security, governance, Indonesia.

1. Introduction
Herbal medicinal practices in Indonesia have been in use long before modern
medicine from western world. In addition, its extension, cosmetic and physical maintenance,
have also been used long before Dutch colonialization times. By the closing years of the
2000, medical preferences of the Indonesian public had changed. Indonesian society began to
demand more choices and increased participation in decisions about their healthcareand in
particular they demanded increased access to herbal medicine. They were not abandoning
modern western medicine, but rather requesting additional interventions with herbal
medicine. Especially at present, one could buy easily readymade jamu which had produced
by industry in the form of powder, pills, capsules, or drinking liquid [1] [2].
Although early attempts to establish a system of state-endorsed medicine was
vigorously contested, by the early decades of the 2000, the fortunes of the herbalists were
beginning to fade as those of medical practitioners and the herbal medicine corporation rose
due to demand from the society[2]. In herbal medicine context, the environment serves
various purposes, including the space for the medical landscape. This landscape includes the
built environment as the source of medicinal flora, fauna, and minerals, and the places where
interactions among practitioner, compound, and patients occur. In addition, the quality of the
environment will influence the health conditions of the people and thus help to define the
number of people seeking medical care services. However, this environment is threatened by
many different conditions.
The opportunities environment provide for future development of herbal medicine,
however, are threatened by serious and increasingly environmental problem. In international

1
Department of International Relations, Universitas Padjadjaran
2
Department of International Relations, Universitas Padjadjaran
relation level, transnational environmental crime include illegal logging, trafficking of flora
and fauna which has medicine potential, and dumping of toxic waste which destroy herbal
medicine environment of live. It is a rapidly rising threat to the environment where
sustainable development of herbal medicine becomes more increased in demand [3].
Many regions of herbal medicine environment in the world now have become
vulnerable to environmental risks. For instance, most of conservasionist said that South East
Asia is the most acute problem in ilegal wildlife[4]. Moreover, it has hub for smugglers to
distribute its products to be traveled globally. It has been provoking the debate about risky
society, and the need for environmental security. Likewise the transnational environmental
crime, the intensification of economic activities, exploitive and extractive industries have
become focal points for environmental security of herbal medicine.
Indonesian people exhibit a wide range of health based on herbal medicine that are
widely linked to social, economic, cultural, and environmental conditions. The selection of
traditional medicine is directly and indirectly linked to economic conditions and that are
largely determined by the globalization process [4]. Herbal medicine is not immune from
vulnerabilities that caused by political, economic and environmental changes that are
influenced by local and globalization forces. They are also vulnerable to changes happening
in the environment and policies aimed at protecting threatened biological resources that are
widely used in traditional herbal medicine practices.

2. Result
Environmental conditions and social processes impact peoples health and traditional
herbal medicine arrangements in many different ways, as well as their access to medically-
important flora and fauna. The combined environmental and health issues in Indonesia are
only now beginning to receive adequate security attention, due to the lack of herbal medicine
resources. Like other urbanizing cities in the developing world is recording numerous health
changes on multiple fronts such as diseases that are directly linked to poverty and also related
to living in a contaminated environment. These health challenges have overwhelmed the
existing medical facilities, and created opportunities for herbal medicine which can be found
in environmental neighborhood to intervene to support health programs.
In implementing the social objective laid down by the State, and the National Health
Policy, the Ministry of Health of Indonesia is taking the responsibility of providing
promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to raise the health status of the
Indonesian population. Herbal medicine roles are also becoming important as the needs for
collaboration in health become more prominent.
Knowledge about the medicinal value of indigenous plants plays a central role in the
health and well-being of Indonesian people. If the government can develop effective program
and policies to promote sustainable production of these indigenous plants it can lead to
maintain societal health [5]. According to Indonesia Health Research in 2010, a half of
Indonesian peolpe (49,53%) have been using herbal medicine. From this big number, 4,36 %
consume herbal medicine routinly every day, and 45,17 % consume herbal medicine when
necesary or they intent to consume it. A half from them 55,16 % consume liquid herbal
medicine 43,99 % in powder compound, rest of it consume herbal medicine in many ways,
such as, capsule and external usage. [6] The dependence on traditional herbal medicine
illustrates how the destruction of the environment not only threatens biodiversity, but also has
severe ramifications for local people. This acts as a great incentive for conservation and
careful nurturing of the environment. Many herbal medicine practitioner and user are well
aware of the value of the environment and how to care for the plants they depends upon.
They never cut the whole tree, taking only a few branches or some bark as compound in
herbal medicine they usually used. Factors such as over-grazing, deforestation, and extreme
weather as a result of climate change, severely threaten the environmental where the herbal
medicines can growth.
The Government Indonesia has a commitment for the socioeconomic development of
the citizens of the State through herbal medicine which has been being combined with
contemporary modern medical science from western world in some hospital in Indonesia.
Conservation of the state's rich biodiversity, its sustainable use for expanding livelihood
security and ensuring equitable sharing of its benefits have been part of this larger
commitment of Indonesia government. Within contemporary herbal medicine, traditional
knowledge and modern science are combined to provide a unique meeting of patient,
practitioner and plant, the state government have been took early steps to develop a
comprehensive view on the sustainable use of state's natural resources and for the
conservation of its rich biodiversity.
Evidence based medical scienceprovides on medicinal plants used by herbal
medicine or jamu can be understood as folk knowledge. This knowledge references is to
myths, literature and popular culture, information about habitat, cultivation and harvesting [7]
are all included in the development of an understanding the herbal medicine. This knowledge
had been decrease by time, especially in urban area or big cities in Indonesia. To create
resilience in herbal medicine in an urban environment, government can create a citywide
cultures by facilitate herbal clinic and clinic garden in neighborhood environment.
Beside those strategic planning, the practical security action for herbal medicine
environment can be done through eco-friendly agriculture involving a practices based on
locally available biodegradable waste, bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides. This plan could also
to promote the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants. Government action to protect
herbal medicine plant needs public support and public understanding. For instance, creating
medical plant garden within a public parks or botanic gardens can be used by society to treat
and learn herbal medicine plant. The purpose is to attract people to see the plants growing in
their natural environment and its knowledge of herbal medicine utility in Indonesia.
However, the big issue for the development of herbal medicine in Indonesia is illegal
and uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources. It is now widely recognized as a
significant threat to both the environment and to sustainable development. Deforestation rate
in Indonesia is the biggest rate of clearing forest nation in the world in 2012 [8]. It is also
scare biodiversity in Indonesia because Indonesia is the heaven of rainforest in the world
which most of every species in the land very dependent to the existence of rainforest in
Indonesia.
In addition, illegal wildlife trafficking is also the obstacle for the biodiversity in
Indonesia. The high demand from China for herbal medicine extract from animals in
Indonesia, for instance, a lot of Indonesian tigers are caught and being killed by hunters to be
sold in black market in China [9]. It will be used as indregients for herbal medicine in China.
Tigers is not only one species that to be hunted and killed, but also the others species that
very valuable for the herbal medicine utilization in China. It needs awareness from
Indonesian government to protect its biodiversity and practically, it is more advantegous for
Indonesia to establish cooperation transnationally to combat illicit wildlife trafficking as
transnational crime. It is must be securitized and raising its awareness of local people that
every species in Indonesia is national asset and must be preserved. Practically, referent object
in this case is national biodiversity that must be protected and it can cause threat for the
environmental security. Unless, it could be claimed or developed by other countries with little
benefit for Indonesia.
3. Discussion
As the second largest biodiversity in the world, Indonesia has to deal with a lot of
things that can preserve its biodiversity. Firstly, the threat of exploitation its biodiversity
potential. With the lack of sources of research funding in herbal medicine development, the
potential of Indonesias biodiversity are threatened by the high demand of herbal medicine
abroad. Most of Indonesian researcher said that the biggest obstacle to develop herbal
potential in Indonesia is funding. Research budget in Indonesia only 0,09 percent of GDP
[10]. It is very smaller than China which in 1,98 percent of GDP [10]. It is surpassed
European Union. The research funding for phytopharmaca medicine is approximately 1-5
billion rupiah [11] which is very costly for Indonesian researcher. Therefore, it is inevitable
for Indonesian researcher to accept funding from abroad to develop its herbal medicine with
the possible of patent losses of plants or tablets. It is endanger the ownership of local people
in their environment and tend to evoke exploitation of Indonesia natural resources by
foreigner without giving a lot of added value to its environment.
Secondly, the gap between the development in Java and the other islands in Indonesia
can be the factor of increasing vulnerability to the biodiversity in Indonesia. Moreover, there
are only one integrated research centre for herbal medicine in Indonesia and it is located in
Java island. Tawangmangu research center for herbal medicine in difficulty now to suplly
raw materials of herbal medicine in all over Indonesia. Consequently, the development of
herbal medicine has been centralized only in Java Island. It needs more than one research
center for huge potential of biodiversity in Indonesia especially for herbal medicine. Every
island in Indonesia should has at least one research center for developing herbal medicine and
its biodiversity to secure every natural sources that can be useful for herbal medicine.
Thirdly, Indonesia has lack of capable human resources in herbal medicine. There are
a lot of expert in developing herbal medicine and also big industry in this field. However, the
application of herbal medicine in health system still get big obstacle, especially the lack of
middle skill workers to support that. Although there are stated in the regulation of health
workers in 2014, traditional health workers yet cannot qualify professional health workers.
According to basic health research report from health ministry, the workers in herbal
medicine health workers is only graduated from elementary school predominantly. There are
70 percent of it [12]. In addition, only two universities in Indonesia which offer the study that
clearly focus on herbal medicine development; University of Indonesia and Airlangga
University. Moreover, only one university that really can provide middle skill workers in
herbal medicine that provide diploma in herbal medicine specialist.
On the other hand, in China, this such gap is filled with the national policy that
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the part of national health system and national
education for health workers in China. This policy makes China can develop its TCM easier
and be supported by its human resources.
Fourthly, the dynamics of politics in herbal medicine has been stalling since 2012 in
parliament with no clear vision [13]. There are no good sense of belonging between
stakeholders in Indonesia to develop herbal medicine and its natural resources togetherly.
Every party seems to work in its criteria and cannot cooperate so well. The problem root is in
its political will of leadership. Many leaders only prioritize jamu or herbal medicine as the
material of its political campaign, for example Jamu drinking campaign, but cannot integrate
every aspect and stakeholders in this field to work together. As a result, business sector tend
to save its investment by only reach standarized herbal drugs in its product as a respond to its
low integration and low real commitment of the government in this sector. It also has to save
its investment by only spending a research and development budget until standarized herbal
drugs.
 The main problem is in bureaucrat itself as leading sector for developing herbal
medicine. Classical issue such coordination intra and inter ministry such as in health ministry
itself to integrate or at least to introduce herbal medicine in health system still get a low
respond from its stakeholders. It is more pathetic that to know in the strategic plan of health
ministry for the next five years itself, there are no stated of herbal medicine development.
However, the dynamics of politics will change if there are ruling of integration between
health services and herbal medicine. Health ministry will emphasize herbal medicine in
preventive and promotive sectors in health system. Unless, It will not be the initial step from
health ministry to develop herbal medicine in Indonesia.
To preserve its natural resources and biodiversity, there are must political will from
every ministry in Indonesia to integrate every aspect in developing herbal medicine in
Indonesia. For the security sector in hard approach, police and immigration officer must
prosecute every activities that illegally endanger biodiversity in Indonesia nationally and
transnationally. Foreign affairs minister also have to establish and strengthen the existence of
international cooperation that to establish and combat wildlife trafficking as national interest
in Indonesias foreign policy.
The high demand of Indonesia natural resources for herbal medicine development
abroad is the crucial factor that is unavoidable for Indonesia government to protect all aspect
of Indonesia biodiversity in herbal medicine development. In soft approach, business sector
can cooperate with academician to develop its product and also can empower local farmers to
preserve its nature potential in Indonesia. The protection of Indonesias herbal medicine
product abroad also must be prioritized by its trade attache in every embassy of Indonesia.

4. Conclusion
Herbal medicine is the reliable potential source for Indonesia. With the richness of its
biodiversity, Indonesia is heaven for every herbal medicine company to develop its product.
However, there are a big challenge to preserve its natural resources with the high demand of
herbal medicine raw materials internationally. Moreover, in this end year there will be
ASEAN Economic Community which increasing its vulneravility in international politics and
economy. Indonesia needs to anticipate it by securitizing its environment and biodiversity
richness with the rising political commitment and cooperation between stakeholders
nationally. The environmental security matters in this term can be securitized by the
strengthening and integrated of Indonesia policy of herbal medicine.

Reference

[1] Sangga Sarana Persada. 2000. Jamu - Traditional Herbal Medicine - and Traditional
Cosmetic. [cited 2015 Sept 12]. Available from. http://www.joglosemar.co.id/jamu.html
[2] Hans Pols. 2010. The triumph of jamu. [cited 2015 Sept 12]. Available from.
http://www.insideindonesia.org/the-triumph-of-jamu.
[3] Dylan Horne. 2013. Policy Responses to Transnational Wildlife Crime in The Asia-
Pacific. Transnational Environment Crime Project - Working Paper 1.
[4] Md Aminul Haque,Valrie R Louis, Revati Phalkey, and Rainer Sauerborn. Use of
traditional medicines to cope with climate-sensitive diseases in a resource poor setting in
Bangladesh. BMC Public Health. 2014:14 [cited 2015 sept 14]. available from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3974044/
[5] Lorraine S. Cordeiro. The Role of African Indigenous Plants in Promoting Food Security
and Health. American Chemical Society. 2013:1127:pp.273-287 Available from:
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/bk-2013-1127.ch017
[6] Asep Candra. Masyarakat Bergantung pada Obat Tradisional. Kompas.com. 2011 October
31st Available from
http://health.kompas.com/read/2011/10/31/16585381/masyarakat.bergantung.pada.obat.tradis
ional.
[7] Cathy Avila, Sue Evans & Annette Morgan. Herbal Wisdom: memory and migration.
Coolabah. Australian Studies Centre, Universitat de Barcelona. 2011:5 pp.15-33
[8] Elizabeth Harball and Climate Wire. Deforestation in Indonesia Is Double the
Government's Official Rate [cited 2015 Sept 12]. Available from
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/deforestation-in-indonesia-is-double-the-
government-s-official-rate/
[9] Tanya Wyatt. 2013. Wildlife Trafficking: A Deconstruction of the Crime, the Victims,
and the Offenders. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
[10] Batellete and R&D Mag. 2014 Global R&D Funding Forecast [cited 2015 Sept 12].
Available from: http://www.battelle.org/docs/tpp/2014_global_rd_funding_forecast.pdf
[11] Hamid, TBJ, Deputy I of Food and Drug Control Agency, Republic of
Indonesia,.Personal Communication, Interview. June 26th 2015.
[12] Pancaputra, AN, Association of Herbal Medical Doctors of Indonesia. Personal
Communication, Interview. September 12th 2015.
[13] Pratiwi, RY, Head of Sub Directorate of Traditional Herb, Health Ministry of
Republic of Indonesia. Personal Communication, Interview. June 9th 2015.