They are active stakeholders that make decisions based on economic opportunities and constraints. While cultural attachments to forests exist, livelihood needs and desires are stronger drivers of intensifying agriculture and expanding plantations. For forests to be conserved, local communities must economically benefit from them. Devolving forest management to communities and using funds for rural education could help transition land use while conserving forests.

1. Are indigenous people conservationists?
From forested landscapes to monocultures domination in Indonesia
Laurène Feintrenie (CIFOR)
Stefan Schwarze (University of Göttingen)
Patrice Levang (IRD, CIFOR)

2. Bungo, in Jambi

5. Pesisir,
in Lampung

8. Lore Lindu region, in
Central Sulawesi

10. A changing landscape

13. Innocent victims of economic globalization,
or active stakeholders of agriculture
intensification?

14. Bungo, in Jambi Lore Lindu region, in
Central Sulawesi
Pesisir,
in Lampung

15. Quick perception survey
• Pros and cons of agroforestry vs monoculture
• Merits and draw-backs of the different plantations
• Perception of the landscape and prediction of its
evolution
• 9 to 12 villages per site, on a range of agriculture
intensification and distance to the forest
• 30 respondents/village
• Total: 802 respondents

17. Malaya
Gunung Kemala Pahmungan
Tenumbang
Sumber Agung
Rajabasa
Pekonmon
Pardasuka Pagar Bukit

18. Bobo
Pandere Sintuwu
Watumaeta
Sungku
Tomua Ratu
Moa
Lelio

19. Pros and Cons of agroforests versus monoculture plantations
Pros Cons
Cultural Cultural
arguments arguments
Jambi (1)
Jambi (1)
Sentimental Sentimental Lampung
Lampung
attachment attachment Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Economic Economic
results results
Technical Technical
advantages constraints
- 50 100 - 50 100

20. Merits of a plantation
No seasonality, weekly or monthly Jambi (1)
income generation
Lampung
Low costs (investment and inputs)
Sulawesi
Easy commercialization
Short immature period
Low labour requirements
High productivity
Secondary products
- 20 40 60 80

21. 100
What will the landscape look like in 20 years? 90
80
100 % Traditional 70
60
forested system 50
40
30
Sulawesi 20
10
Lampung 0
Jambi (1)
Very Pleased Not
pleased pleased
100 % Intensified 100 % Challenging
traditional crop crop

22. Comparison of land uses profitability
For min, max and average prices (2008-2009)
Return to land of plantations Return to labour of plantations
depending on prices at farm gate depending on prices at farm gate
(€/ha) (€/manday)
4,500 50
4,000 45
3,500 40
3,000 35
30
2,500
25
2,000
20
1,500
15
1,000
10
500 5
- -
(1) Adapted from Feintrenie et al, 2010 and complementary data from field survey; (2) Adapted from Seeberg-Elverfeldt et al, 2009; (3) Personal
communication from Yulia Ramah Fitriana, 2010; (4) Adapted from Kusters, 2009 and complementary data from field survey

23. Neither passive, nor victim
• Farmers are active and informed actors of agriculture
expansion and intensification.
• Their decisions are driven by economic opportunities
and local/regional constraints.
• Cultural and sentimental attachments to forest are
weak in comparison with livelihoods needs and
desires.

24. Relevance to the global forest
conservation issue
• Only economic benefits from forest can secure their
conservation by local communities.
• Devolution of forest management to local
communities must consider this fact when aiming at
forest conservation.
• International funds raised for forest conservation
could be used to promote education (grants for rural
pupils) in order to fasten the process of agrarian
transition.

25. Thank you for your attention.