Agroforestry is a win–win solution in terms of restoring forest function while benefiting the local community. This research aimed to (1) understand the regulations concerning conservation forest management and the restoration strategies adopted based on the history of forest degradation in the area, (2) investigate the factors driving local people to adopt agroforestry systems in the area, and (3) investigate the characteristics of the agroforestry system developed and its impacts based on farmers’ perceptions. This research was performed in Wan Abdul Rachman Grand Forest Park, Lampung Province, Indonesia, and involved 59 respondents who managed 63 agroforestry plots in the area. Several schemes had been implemented to restore the degraded forest without involving the community, and the results were unsatisfactory. Changing the regulations concerning managing conservation forests to involve the community and providing legal permits and support from the management improved forest function due to community willingness to implement the agroforestry system. About 81% of observed plots consisted of 5–12 plant species, and 16% of plots consisted of 13–16 species per plot. Theobroma cacao was the most common species in the agroforestry plots, followed by Durio zibethinus, Parkia speciosa, and Aleurites moluccana. The size of the agroforestry plot affected the number of species in the plot. The community perception demonstrated that agroforestry has positive impacts on livelihood, the environment, and biodiversity at the landscape level.
Cacao-based agroforestry systems have been developed in the conservation forest area of Wan Abdul Rachman Grand Forest Park (WAR GFP). Previously, the forest areas were occupied by surrounding needy communities, causing land-use conflict and forest degradation. To resolve these problems, the conservation forest manager developed a conservation partnership program, giving farmers legal access to establish cacao agroforestry systems while improving forest conditions. This research aimed to study the farmers’ participation, main commodities of the cacao-based agroforestry system, and its contribution to the local production and economy. This research was conducted in 2018 and 2019. The field survey was used to characterize the agroforestry system practiced and a series of interviews with two respondent groups, stakeholders concerned with WAR GFP management (nine key informants), and cacao-based agroforestry farmers (61 respondents). The agroforestry systems were dominated by cacao trees mixed with other tree crops and forest trees with an average density of 1,169.3 ± 668.3 trees/ha. Community involvement in the agroforestry development has only reached "Placation" or level 5 of Arnstein's participation ranking, implying they are granted limited opportunities to participate in the agroforestry development. Cacao production was influenced by the cacao tree and the associated tree density. Optimal cacao production as much as 367.4 ± 357.9 kg/ha was achieved at 1,253 trees/ha of total tree density. Besides cocoa, there were 13 primary commodities, where some have contributed more than 40% to district production. Income gained from the agroforestry systems contributes significantly (75.63%) to total farmers’ income. It can fulfill households’ basic needs and has exceeded the poverty line at the national level. The cacao-based agroforestry development has become an alternative to resolve land use conflict in conservation forest areas characterized by land scarcity with a dense population
The domestic silkworm or mulberry silk moth, B. mori L., provides more than 99% of the world’s silk. Silk, as a sericulture product, was first introduced in Indonesia through a trade mechanism and began to develop in 1953. Several factors (economic, ecological, market, and cultural) support sericulture and make it become one of the non-timber forest product priorities. However, the competitive advantages alone have not encouraged the development of prospective sericulture industry in Indonesia yet. This paper is a review of tropical sericulture development in Indonesia. The literature on the development of sericulture in Indonesia between 1989 and 2022 is used to describe conditions related to mulberry cultivation (moriculture), and silkworm rearing (sericulture), as well as the state of socio-economic development, culture, and institutions. Moriculture and sericulture techniques, socio-economic aspects, institutional arrangements, and community motivations are intertwined, creating a challenging atmosphere for sericulture development. There are potential resources, such as exploring quality mulberry production and quality silkworm production through research and development, valuable cultural aspects, and potential stakeholders to build network engagement. Commitment, cooperation, and action from all stakeholders are needed to enhance the development of sericulture in Indonesia. In this context, the central government can play an important role in facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships in the development of integrated sericulture in Indonesia.