Abandoned land: Legal aspects and utilization in Indonesia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu14.2025.116

Abstract

One of the fundamental problems in the land sector in Indonesia is inequality in the distribution pattern of land ownership, control, use, and utilization. This situation is further exacerbated by the large amount of land abandoned by land rights owners, which covers millions of hectares. This article digs deeper into the significance of controlling abandoned land in efforts to realize agrarian reform that prioritizes a more equitable distribution of land ownership and use. The Indonesian Constitution (Undang-Undang Dasar 1945) and the Basic Agrarian Law (Undang-Undang Pokok Agraria, UUPA) establish a relationship between the state and citizens regarding land and natural resources. Abandoned land refers to land that is not utilized and does not provide benefits to the community, which, as a result, becomes land that is directly controlled by the state. Control of abandoned land is key to addressing the unequal concentration of land ownership, encouraging social and economic balance, and increasing food and energy security. Nevertheless, the process of controlling abandoned land addresses a number of challenges, including enforcing complex laws, resistance from rights holders, and errors in implementation procedures. The success of agrarian reform depends on factors such as strong government support, the presence of empowered farmer and community organizations, the availability of accurate data, and adequate budget allocation.

Keywords:

abandoned land, access reform, agrarian reform, customary law, land rights, land redistribution, state control, state land

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
 

References

References

Abolina, E., V. A. Luzadis. 2014. “Abandoned agricultural land and its potential for short rotation woody crops in Latvia”. Land Use Policy 49: 435–445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2015.08.022

Bell, S., A. Montarzino, P. Aspinall, Z. Peneze, O. Nikodemus. 2009. “Rural society, social inclusion and landscape change in Central and Eastern Europe: A case study of Latvia”. Sociologia Ruralis 49 (3): 295–326. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.2009.00480.x

Benayas, J. M. R., A. Martins, J. M. Nicolau, J. J. Schulz. 2007. “Abandonment of agricultural land: An overview of drivers and consequences”. CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources 2 (June 2015). https://doi.org/10.1079/PAVSNNR20072057

Fayet, C. M. J., K. H. Reilly, C. van Ham, P. H. Verburg. 2022. “The potential of European abandoned agricultural lands to contribute to the green deal objectives: Policy perspectives”. Environmental Science and Policy 133 (October 2021): 44–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2022.03.007

Kuemmerle, T., P. Hostert, V. C. Radeloff, S. van der Linden, K. Perzanowski, I. Kruhlov. 2008. “Cross-border comparison of post-socialist farmland abandonment in the Carpathians”. Ecosystems 11 (4): 614–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021‑008‑9146‑z

Luthfi, A. N. 2018. “Institutional reform for agrarian reform policy in the era of Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla’s reign”. Bhumi: Jurnal Agraria dan Pertanahan 4 (2): 140–163.

Munroe, D. K., D. B. van Berkel, P. H. Verburg, J. L. Olson. 2013. “Alternative trajectories of land abandonment: Causes, consequences and research challenges”. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 5 (5): 471–476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2013.06.010

Parlindungan, A. P. 1990. Conversion of land rights (Konversi Hak-Hak Atas Tanah). Bandung, Mandar Maju.

Perpina Castillo, C., C. Jacobs-Crisioni, V. Diogo, C. Lavalle. 2021. “Modelling agricultural land abandonment in a fine spatial resolution multi-level land-use model: An application for the EU”. Environmental Modelling and Software 136 (December 2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2020.104946

Prishchepov, A. V., F. Schierhorn, F. Low. 2021. “Unraveling the diversity of trajectories and drivers of global agricultural land abandonment”. Land 10 (2): 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10020097

Raj Khanal, N., T. Watanabe. 2006. “Abandonment of agricultural land and its consequences”. Mountain Research and Development 26 (1): 32–40. https://doi.org/10.1659/0276-4741(2006)026[0032:aoalai]2.0.co;2

Sidipurwanty, E., I. W. Rusastra, D. Suprastyo, T. Sakti, A. Adnan, S. M. Prihatin. 2019. Research on Inequality of Land Tenure and Ownership: Analysis at the Regional and Farmer Household Levels (Penelitian Ketimpangan Penguasaan dan Pemilikan Tanah: Analisis di Tingkat Wilayah dan Rumah Tangga Petani). Jakarta, Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning; National Land Agency.

Suhariningsih. 2009. Abandoned Lands: Principles and Renewal of Concepts Toward Order. Library Achievement (Tanah Terlantar: Asas dan Pembaharuan Konsep Menuju Penertiban. Prestasi Pustaka Raya). Surabaya, Prestasi Pustaka Raya.

Sumardjono, M. S. W. 2009. Planning for the Development of National Law in the Field of Defense (Perencanaan Pembangunan Hukum Nasional Bidang Pertahanan). Jakarta, National Legal Development Agency Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia.

Vollenhoven, C. van, R. Soewargono. 1975. De Indonesier En Zijngrond (Orang Indonesia dan Tanahnya). Jakarta, Center for Domestic Education.

Voronina, N. P., A. I. Milovidova. 2021. “Sustainable development of rural areas of the Russian State as a strategic task and its legal support”. Kutafin Law Review 8 (2): 199–225. https://doi.org/10.17803/2313-5395.2021.2.16.199-225

Winoto, Joyo. 2010. Land for justice and welfare of the people (Tanah Untuk Keadilan dan Kesejahteraan Rakyat). Jakarta, Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning; National Land Agency.

Downloads

Published

2025-04-22

How to Cite

Mujiburohman, D. A. (2025). Abandoned land: Legal aspects and utilization in Indonesia. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Law, 16(1), 220–229. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu14.2025.116

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Foreign and International Law

License

Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Law" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.