L. Joshi

Land tenure, agroforestry adoption, and reduction of fire hazard in a forest zone: A case study from Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia

Clear land ownership and community involvement in managing forests are key determinants in securing sustainable land management. A recent study in Lampung in the province of Sumatra, Indonesia revealed that, even with the use of military force, forest policy and management has largely failed to protect forest resources when local communities were not involved. In contrast, with less government intervention but more secure land rights (as perceived by farmers), local communities have successfully rehabilitated degraded land, including that designated as state forest area, through establishment of coffee based agroforestry. The main incentive for local communities to manage land more sustainably was the expectation of secure land rights on state forest land through which livelihood and income could be realized. The study indicated that under such circumstances there is room for negotiation between the government forestry department and local communities to better manage state forest land. This not only can generate income for local communities but can also improve the overall environment through reduction of fire incidence. This indicates that legal land use rights for local communities on state forest land could be used as a ‘reward’ for upland farmers for their role in maintaining environmental services of forest land.

Sugar palm (Arenga pinnata (Wurmb) Merr.) for livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in the orangutan habitat of Batang Toru, North Sumatra, Indonesia: mixed prospects for domestication

Domestication of desirable forest resources in agroforestry is expected to contribute to community based forest conservation efforts, but there may be an optimum level of domestication in this respect. Aren or sugar palm (Arenga pinnata (Wurmb) Merr.) is a multipurpose tree that provides livelihoods for local people and food for other biota in the landscape. However, its domestication is still limited in many places, such as in Batang Toru Forest Block, an area of high conservation value, including habitat for the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii). Options for aren management were prioritized as part of a landscape-scale conservation study by comparing domestication levels in the area. Data on economic indicators and ecological knowledge were gathered through interviews with key farmers, focus groups and transect walks. Four representative villages were selected for the study, that is, (i) two villages with no domestication of aren; and (ii) two villages with aren cultivation in rubber-based land-use systems. Costbenefit analyses suggested that in a rich biodiversity area, such as Batang Toru, although aren was one of the sources of local livelihoods, additional investment for domestication beyond cultivation was not an option considered by farmers. Farmers still perceived wildlife as an efficient mode of aren regeneration, supported by the coexistence of people and other biota in the area. It appears the value of aren for local people’s livelihoods and conservation can be enhanced by increasing its stocking density. There is also scope for improving market access and share of end-user value received by farmers.

IS FLEXIBILITY OR PRODUCTIVITY THE KEY TO PERSISTENCE OF RUBBER AGROFORESTS IN JAMBI PROVINCE (SUMATRA)

ABSTRACT Rubber production and yield components (tree density, number of trees tapped per day, number of tapping days per year) were monitored in 35 plots of rubber agroforests in Jambi province (Sumatra) for one year. The results showed a great variability in yield components both between plots and over time. The overall average production of dry rubber per tree per tapping day was 17g, which is about half of the production per tree per tapping day that can be attained in well managed plantations of selected rubber clones. Productivity per ha and per year appeared to be further reduced by the low number of rubber trees per ha (c. 50% of the trees above 10 cm dbh are not rubber trees), the selective tapping of only a fraction of the population of rubber trees of tappable size and the low number of tapping days per year. Low average tapping frequency (110 days) was related to low prices prevailing during the study period. Tapping frequency appeared to be further influenced by a number of case specific factors including the degree of dependence of farmers on latex as a source of income, labor availability (for the plot owner) and presence or absence of other work opportunities (for the share-tapper). As a result of this opportunistic exploitation, the actual annual production per unit area in rubber agroforests appears to be often below maximum potential production of the plot. It is argued that the high flexibility of this extensive rubber cultivation system compensates for its low productivity and largely determines its wide adoption. It is further suggested that the opportunistic exploitation of extensively managed rubber agroforests may fulfil an important social function as it appears to serve as a reservoir of paid labour.