the influence of ‘sago-based vegeculture’ on forest landscapes in central seram, eastern...
DESCRIPTION
Rural farmers in Maluku, eastern Indonesia, depend on sago starch extracted from sago palm as a staple food. They also practice shifting cultivation, growing vegetatively propagated crops such as taro, sweet potato and banana as supplementary foods. What impact does this sago-based vegeculture have on the forest landscape? This presentation, given by CIFOR scientist Masatoshi Sasaoka at the 10th International Sago Symposium held in Bogor, Indonesia on 29-31 October, shows results from a study evaluating that impact. Findings indicate that ‘sago-based vegeculture’ exerts relatively little pressure on the forest, and may contribute, to some extent, to forming and maintaining natural forest-dominated landscapes in central Seram. Such forest-friendly agriculture also appears to contribute to the relatively high local biodiversity and carbon stock.TRANSCRIPT
The influence of ‘sago-based vegeculture’ on forest landscapes in central Seram, eastern Indonesia
The 10th International Sago Symposium, 29-30 October 2011
Masatoshi Sasaoka (CIFOR) and Yves Laumonier (CIRAD-B&SEF)
Background (1) Sago-based Vegeculture (Vegetatively Propagated Crop Agriculture)
Savannah Basic Agricultural Complex
Mediterranean Basic Agricultural Complex
New world Basic Agricultural Complex
Vegeculture Basic Agricultural Complex
Four Types of Basic Agricultural Complexes [Nakao 1966]
Main crops: Vegetatively Propagated Crops (VPCs) such as taro, yam, banana, etc
Areas where local people are dependent on sago
Indigenous agriculture in Maluku, east Indonesia
Sago-based vegeculture
sago cultivation
shifting cultivation of VPCs (banana, taro, yam, sweet potato, cassava, etc.)
Competitive relationship between agriculture and the forest
Background (2)
Agricultural land
Forest
Objectives
to evaluate the impact of ‘sago-based vegeculture’ on the local forest landscape by analysing 1) the
land productivity of sago groves and 2) the sizes of shifting cultivation fields
to provide implications for future sago research
Methods: Research Site Amani oho
• Population:±320 (±60 households)
• Subsistence activities: sago-starch extraction, agriculture (vegeculture), hunting/trapping, collection of other NTFPs
• Main source of incomes: seasonal migrant work as harvester of clove, selling bush meat, parrot trade, etc.
• Access: to North:2-3days on foot; to South: 1day on foot
• Located in the interior of central Seram nearby National Park
Research site
Interviews (key informant , one-on-one and group interviews) and participatory observation of agricultural activities
Measurement surveys for amounts of sago starch produced and density of mature sago palm stands
Measurement surveys for the sizes of cultivation fields
Data used in this presentation was collected through my
anthropological fieldwork that had been conducted intermittently from 2003-2007
Methods: Data Collection
Results
1. Overview of sago-based vegeculture
2. Relatively high land productivity of sago groves
3. Small-scale of shifting cultivation
1. Outlook of sago-based vegeculture(1): Sago Palm Cultivation
Characteristics as a crop
Harvestable Age 8-15 (yr)
Distribution Swampy ground, area
along small rivers
Resistant to pests, diseases & wild animal damage
Very high
Shifting/ continuous cultivation
Able to be harvested continuously in the
same place Source: Field research.
1. Outlook of sago-based vegeculture(2): Shifting Cultivation
Types Land preparation & management
Main crops Burning
Intensive root crop - vegetable garden (lela)
After clearance of secondary vegetation, removing litter (branches and leaves). Frequent weeding.
Root crops (taro, cassava, sweet potato etc.) and vegetables, tobacco, sugar cane, etc.
Occasional (only
in the dry season)
Extensive banana - taro garden (lawa)
Not removing litter, seldom weeding.
Banana , taro, fruit trees ( langsat, jackfruit etc.)
No
Source: Field research.
2. Relatively high land productivity of sago groves (1): Estimation of annual number of harvestable sago stands per ha
The density of sago palm stands
during the upepoto and raplili
growth stages (A): 76.3 stands/ha
(n=15, total 1.9ha)
The time period needed for sago
palm to grow from the early
upepoto stage to ropu ropu (B):4-
6 years
The estimated annual number of
harvestable sago stands per ha
(C=A/B): 12.7-19.1 stand /ha/yr
Folk categories for
Sago palm growth stages
Anania Sucker
Waieri Palm beginning to form trunk
Sapei tupe
Palm with woody trunk, but still short
Upepoto Palm with relatively tall trunk , leaves around the crown don’t yet begin to be small
Rapulili Palm with relatively tall trunk and small leaves around the crown
Ropu ropu Matured palm with a peduncle, suitable for harvesting
Atamoto Palm, peduncle of which has already fallen
Source: Field research.
The amount of sago starch per stand (dry weight) (D) : 68kg/stand (n=41)
The amount of annually produced sago starch (dry weight) (C*D) : 864-1299 kg/ha/yr
Land productivity of sago groves [kcal] : 347 -522 *104 kcal/ha/yr (assuming that the ratio of wet weight to dry weight of sago is 1 :
0.55, and the amount of energy contained within wet sago is 2210 kcal [Ohtsuka and Suzuki 1990])
2. Relatively high land productivity of sago groves (1): Estimation of the annual amount of harvestable sago starch per ha
5 to 16 times those for ‘actual land productivity’ *) of upland rice fields in Southeast Asia (32-64*104 kcal / ha /yr, estimated based on:
• assumed upland rice yield of 1 - 2 t/ha/yr[Sasaki 1998] • a cultivation period of 2 years • a fallow period of 20 years
*) Land productivity calculated taking fallow land and period into account
3. Small-scale of shifting cultivation (1): The size of shifting cultivation gardens per household
Types The number of
gardens cultivated on average
[field/household]
The size of gardens on
average [ha/ household]
Total number of garden fields
measured
Intensive root crop - vegetable garden (lela)
1.6 0.04 21
Extensive banana - taro garden (lawa)
3.7 0.18 48
Total 0.22 69
Source: Field research. Note: The measurement surveys were conducted in 2004 for all of shifting cultivation gardens belonging to 13 households.
1/6 to 1/8 of the average size of shifting cultivation fields for upland rice in Southeast Asia(1.4-1.8 ha / household [Sasaki 1998])
3. Small-scaleness of shifting cultivation (2): A contributing factor to the small-scaleness – high dependency of sago
Source: Field research. Note 1: The data on staple food intakes was collected from 5 June to 30 August 2003. This measurement survey was conducted for breakfasts 19 times (for 92 persons), lunch 17 times (92 persons), and supper 21 times (115 persons). Note 2: Calculations of energy were carried out based on the following data: sago 2210 kcal/kg, sweet potato 770 kcal/kg, banana 1150 kcal/kg, taro 1300 kcal/kg, and cassava 1490 kcal/kg [Ohtsuka et al., 1990: 228]
Staple food intake [energy] Frequency of staple food intake
Source: Field research. Note 1: The frequency of food intake: [the number of times that a food item was consumed] / [total number of meals over the time period]. Note 2: The data was collected using self-administered questionnaires during 4 research periods: May to June 2003 (21 days, 19 households), July to August 2003 (21 days, 16 households), November to December 2003 (22 days, 17 households), February to March 2004 (18 days, 15 households).
Discussion
Relationship between Sago-based vegeculture and forest
Conclusions ‘Sago-based vegeculture’ exerts relatively little
pressure on the forest, and may contribute, to some extent, to forming and maintaining natural forest-dominated landscapes in central Seram
Such forest- friendly agriculture also appears to contribute to the relatively high local biodiversity and carbon stock
Further studies are needed to assess the value of ‘sago-based vegeculture’ in terms of biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration
Thank you