Agricultural commodity price forecasting becomes important for farmers since the knowledge of agriculture commodity price fluctuation can help the farmers to identify the right selling time. Recently, the absence of such the forecasting system makes the farmers decide to sell their commodities to middlemen which in turn, reduces their exchange rate as the length of distribution flow is complicated. The length of distribution flow is started from farmers, middlemen, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. To address this problem, a forecasting system based on radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is proposed. To optimize the network's learning process, particle swarm optimization (PSO)-based learning technique is applied. The RBFNN is chosen because of its ability to generally track irregular signal changing, good speed in learning process, and robustness. Meanwhile, the implementation of PSO aims to improve weight values towards global optimum in RBFNN model.

Background: International and market forces are key drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, with transnational and market-based solutions in land-use and forest governance often missing economic, distributive, and environmental targets. Methods: This paper tackles both the framing and effectiveness of transnational initiatives affecting forest lands and peoples in the Global South, and the quality of relationships between institutions in the Global North and the Global South. Through more equitable research partnerships, this paper draws lessons from case studies in Indonesia (legality verification system in different forest property regimes), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (lifting of a moratorium on new logging concession), and Brazil (FSC in the Amazon region and the Amazon Fund). Results: International partnerships have privileged market-based instruments and commodity exchange between Global South and Global North countries, and the benefits of such mechanisms are unevenly distributed. Complementary and alternative policy instruments are discussed for each geography. Conclusions: Glocalizing land-use and forest governance implies in advancing equitable research partnerships between institutions in the Global South and Global North, and strengthening a community of practice for critical enquiry and engagement in partnerships for sustainable development. Land-use, climate and forest governance mechanisms must redress power dynamics, and partnership models, and commit to improving well-being and sustainable livelihood outcomes.

The Indonesian government devised numerous strategic plans to achieve 12.7 million hectares of social forestry areas as targeted by the social forestry program. This target is achieved through specific policies issued by the Indonesian government, which regulate the implementation and management of village forests. This study examined the readiness of the Forest Management Unit and the Village Forest Management Institute as the main institutions involved in the implementation of village forests. Additionally, the study discovered that readiness was directly proportional to the poverty alleviation level among forest users, the improvement of forest conditions, and the empowerment of forest users. This research applied an objective-based evaluation and institutional assessment. Furthermore, the data obtained was qualitative data, which was quantified using a scale, then the calculated scale results were analysed to produce index value. The data analysis was employed by adopting an FMU performance appraisal method, which utilised community-managed forest management indicators. In the last five years, from the submission of the permit proposal to the issuance of forest license, the results showed an increase of community participation, particularly on the initiatives of (i) institutionalising business unit management, (ii) integration of the village forest management to the village fund, (iii) building the capacity of village enterprise group, and (iv) contributing to wildlife conflict mitigation.

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Forest management and utilization in Indonesia has mandated the establishment of a Forest Management Unit as a forest management unit at the site level. The roles and functions of the FMUs are expected to be able to synergize all the basic components of the operationalization of forestry development in the context of sustainability for social, economic and ecological. This study reviewed the performance of FMUs role in Aceh. The results of the assessment of 9 criteria produce a number in the form of an index. The index value determines the performance category of FMUs where the index of 2.34-3.00 showed high performance, 1.67-2.33 FMU showed moderate performance and 1.00-1.66 showed low performance. The results of the FMU’s performance assessment in Aceh showed the range from moderate to high performance. FMUs with moderate performance are FMU Region I, FMU Region II and FMU of Pocut Meurah Intan Grand Forest Park. The FMU that is categorized as High performance is the FMU Region III. The criteria that are focused on being directed at developing FMU’s performance are mainly on the criteria for the area stability, management plans, investment mechanisms and conflict resolution.