Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
solutions to their dudukuhan management problems and marketing challenges.
Additionally, farmers have developed an awareness of the importance of high-quality
germplasm and deliberate management as means of improving the quality of
dudukuhan products and profitability; and begun to incorporate high-quality germ-
plasm and deliberate management into their dudukuhan systems. Farmers are also
now aware of the importance of market channels, market information and product
specifications; they have begun to develop permanent linkages with market agents
and adopt management practices to enhance the quality of dudukuhan products.
Developing market linkages with regional traders, instead of waiting for local col-
lectors to visit their farms, helped farmers increase their banana income by 100%
(from IDR10,000/bunch to IDR20,000/bunch).
The success of the approach was enhanced through the development of a broad,
multidiscipline, multisector partnership with a shared vision. Partners included:
local governments (sub-district and village), agriculture and forestry extension
officers, non-government organizations (NGOs), the private sector (market traders),
university staff, the National Park, research and development institutes (ICRAF and
Winrock), and farmer groups. All partners agreed that improving dudukuhan pro-
ductivity and profitability was a common goal. Roles and responsibilities of each
partner were discussed and agreed at the beginning of program; roles and responsi-
bilities continued to evolve throughout the program. Government agencies provided
stability by actively supporting the program. Extension officers, university staff,
traders and research/development institutes provided technical assistance. Traders
and research/development helped develop market linkages. ICRAF and Winrock
administered and implemented the overall program. The commitment and partici-
pation of local partners was particularly important in providing continuality through
the official ending of the program (Roshetko et al. 2004).
4.5 Conclusion
Dudukuhans are traditional tree farming systems which contain high species diver-
sity. Dynamic changes in tree numbers and tree species composition are farmers'
strategies to maintain dudukuhan productivity, adjust to evolving market opportuni-
ties, enhance their livelihoods (income from market sales plus products for household
use), and prevent erosion. Traditional extractive management with low inputs and
little planning is the key problem that limits dudukuhan productivity.
Empowering motivated smallholder farmers to enhance and diversify productiv-
ity and profitability of their dudukuhan systems may be achieved by transforming
traditional subsistence-oriented systems into semi-commercial enterprises that
yield products to meet both home and market demand. This process requires that
farmers: (1) focus on a limited number of priority tree species that are appropriate
for local biophysical conditions and a high market value/demand; (2) utilize high
quality germplasm (provenances, clones, and seed source) to increase productivity
and profitability; (3) manage the dudukuhans to yield tree products that meet mar-
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