Livelihood Strategy of Community Forest Farmers: A Case Study in Ciamis Regency, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

The problem of small and limited agricultural land ownership constraints community forest farmers in Indonesia. A strategy is needed to drive the small and limited farmland to meet the needs of farmers' lives. This study aims to determine the strategy of community forest farmers in meeting their daily needs. We have conducted case studies in Muktisari Village and Cipaku Village, Cipaku Subdistrict, and Ciamis Regency. The method used was interviews with 30 farmers who were randomly selected. The results showed that the average area of community forest land owned by farmers was 0.31 ha, with the majority being mixed gardens (63%). The strategy of smallholder forest farmers in meeting their needs is to plant more than one species as a source of income. Farmers with private forest landholdings <0.25 ha are more intensive by planting more species than smallholder forest farmers with larger land. The most widely cultivated cropping pattern combines trees (Saigon) and secondary crops (bananas and coconuts). In addition to land use strategies, community forest farmers have side jobs such as traders and laborers, especially during the dry season.