Abstract:
Forests and water are common property resources that often experience tragedy of the common. National policies and programs for damage control of watershed tend to be uniform across and within a watershed. In terms of the site situation, the Musi Watershed landscape in South Sumatra was showing different performance between the regions. Downstream areas have almost no primary natural forests, but upstream there are sporadic forests and not far from the agricultural areas of the community. Therefore, the implementation of national policies and programs requires a location-specific approach, based on an understanding of the interaction of local communities and their environment. This paper aims to explain the differences between social institutions of farming communities in the upstream and downstream of Musi watersheds in the use of forests and water. This comparative study attempts to compare the results of [1] research on Semende's cultural capital in Muara Enim district (upstream) with cultural studies of peoples around the peatlands in OKI (downstream) districts. The study used modern ethnographic approach, through in-depth interview method and participant observation in some villages in OKI District. The results show that there are differences in the worldview of upstream and downstream village communities on forests and water. In addition, the downstream community has more livelihood options, is more adaptive and responsive to technological and market changes, and focuses on financial capital. This disparity implies differences in the existence of social institutions in interacting with forest and water resources. We recommend a different approach in upstream and downstream river basin management. Forest and water resources in the downstream area require the introduction of new social institutions, while upstream needs the strengthening of existing social institutions
