Orang Rimba, the name meaning "People of the Forest" are an indigenous people in Jambi Province. Total number of Orang Rimba recorded is more than 2,5 thousand individuals, most of whom live in the forest. The Orang Rimba have here developed a traditional system of forest resources management, based on enrichment and selective enhancement of many tree and plant species. They generally collect of non-wood forest products, hunt, and practice swidden cultivation.

The Orang Rimba are distributed in three distinct areas of Jambi Province, i.e:
1. The Western Part of the Province
2. The Bukit Duabelas Area
3. The Buffer Area of the Bukit Tigapuluh

The entire region in which the Orang Rimba are found was until recently covered by lowland tropical forest. Most of them still occupy the remaining forested areas. They are now increasingly marginalized because of large-scale forest clearance, especially for oil palm plantations.

Efforts by the government to resettle them are not compatible with the livelihood pattern of the Orang Rimba, and most of those who take part in resettlement project leave the settlement once free food and other handouts are ended.

The Orang Rimba need security of access to land and forest resources. Development activities that ignore this requirement are meaningless.

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