Donor-dependent NGOs and participation bias in peatland conservation programs: a case study from Riau, Indonesia

In Indonesian peatland conservation programs that emphasise community participation, NGOs play important roles as implementers. However, donor-dependent performance-based NGOs may contribute to elite capture, in which elites monopolise decision-making and financial benefits at the village level. This study examines how NGOs’ implementation influences participation bias, especially elite capture, in Riau Province, Indonesia, by analysing NGOs’ funding environments, implementation of peatland conservation programs, and participation patterns at the program sites. Under the donor-driven timelines and limited budget, NGOs prioritised efficient and smooth implementation. In this context, NGOs selected key individuals in specific villages. This caused biased participation in Village M. However, donor dependence alone does not automatically produce elite capture. Rather, elite capture emerges from the interaction between NGO implementation strategies and village-level political configurations, particularly the positioning of key individuals and their relationships with other local power holders.