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Smart Farmer Families: Sustainable management of AgrofoResTry System by farmer families around Sesaot Protected Forest.

04 Dec 2019

Smart Farmer Families: Sustainable management of AgrofoResTry System by farmer families around Sesaot Protected Forest.

Project leader: Mrs. Aula Sakinah Muntasyarah

Level of education and university: Master, Southern Cross University

Collaborating Organisations: Kesatuan Pengelolaan Hutan (KPH) Rinjani Barat - Dinas Kehutanan NTB

Project Location: Lombok Barat, Nusa Tenggara Barat

Activity Type: Community development activities

Sector: Forestry, natural resource management, agriculture, human resources development

Project Rationale:

Sesaot protected forest has role as main water catchment area for the Capital City, Mataram, and West Lombok District, thus the sustainability of Sesaot protected forest is necessary. Sesaot forest also famous for its fertile soil as well as tropical timbers and fruits products from the forest, thus attracted more farmers in Lombok island to use the timber products and the area for agriculture (Hardiyanto, 2013; Syarifudin, 2001). Sesaot protected forest plays critical role as well in supplying tropical fruits not only for local market in Lombok Island, but also in Sumbawa and Bali Island (Abdurrahim, 2015; Hardiyanto, 2013). These non-timber forest product has increased economic development for Narmada sub-district and West Lombok district and increased local communities incomes (Rahayu et al., 2010a). It can be said that Sesaot protected forest provides plenty of benefits in social economic and environment services for local communities and down-stream communities.

However, there is a concern related to soil quality declines and other land degradation problems due to poor management in Sesaot protected forest. High population and poverty in villages around Sesaot protected forest has encouraged local communities to clear the forest area and replace native trees with valuable crops and fruit trees as their main livelihood (Setiawan et al., 2010; Syarifudin, 2001). Agriculture sector is the main incomes for many households in villages around Sesaot protected forest, while land for agriculture is less (Abdurrahim, 2015; Hardiyanto, 2013). Though, in community forest program local farmers are allowed to cultivate crops and multi-purpose trees, but the number of native trees species and timber trees not increases (Rahayu et al., 2010b). Research by World Agroforestry Centre in 2010 reveals that multi-purpose trees and valuable crops such as cocoa, coffee, and banana dominated the vegetation composition in Sesaot protected forest (Rahayu et al., 2010b). As a result there is a concern about the declining of soil organic carbon in this area due to the intensive use of the land for crops (Rahayu et al., 2010b; Setiawan et al., 2010).

Sedimentation in the river area and soil erosion are other impacts of inappropriate land management (Charman, 2010). The removal of trees or vegetation cover declines will leave the soil without any protection from the severe impacts of rain drops and run off (Charman, 2010; Nair, 2011). As a result, the top soil layer and nutrients in it will be removed by water and let the subsoil exposed and reduce soil quality. Soil that is eroded will be transported by water to lower place or to river and creating sedimentation (Charman, 2010). This could contaminate the river.  Moreover, the removal of trees could increase flood risk and reduce water that could be hold by plant’s root in the soil (Handoko, 2012; Lenka, 2012; Nair, 2011). Research from WWF and World Agroforestry Centre reveals that annual floods in Sesaot village and down-stream areas correspond to the alteration of vegetation composition in Sesaot protected forest (Setiawan et al., 2010). Soil erosion in Sesaot protected forest also a common phenomenon (Hardiyanto, 2013; Setiawan et al., 2010).

Project Beneficiaries:

  • Three farmer groups of community forest program on Sesaot protected forest will be the target group. These consist of more than 3.000 farmers and more than 5.000 Ha of forest area.
  • 30 farmers and 10 forestry extension officers and forestry officers will play role as agent of change to other farmers.

Priority Development Area:

Economic institutions and infrastructure

Link with Australian organisation: -

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