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