crop management Archives - Resilient Landscapes (RL)

Pendekatan Yurisdiksi yang Efektif Berdasarkan Ketertelusuran Rantai Nilai untuk Mendorong Industri Kelapa Sawit Berkelanjutan di Indonesia: Studi Kasus dari Pelalawan di Riau dan Kutai Kartanegara di Kalimantan Timur

Pemahaman tentang rantai nilai industri kelapa sawit merupakan faktor penting dalam memastikan pendekatan yurisdiksi terintegrasi yang efektif berbasis ketertelusuran, dengan mempertimbangkan keterlibatan para pelaku produksi, pengolahan, dan distribusi seluruh produk. Kajian mengenai ketertelusuran rantai nilai dimulai dengan mengidentifikasi eksportir dan grup eksportir di tingkat nasional, hingga ke pengelolaan di tingkat perkebunan, termasuk tahapan pengolahan dan distribusi kelapa sawit. Kajian mendalam yang didasarkan pada data dasar yang didukung oleh dokumen sertifikasi perusahaan dan laporan ketertelusuran, difokuskan pada dua kabupaten: Pelalawan di Provinsi Riau dan Kutai Kartanegara di Provinsi Kalimantan Timur.

Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa, tingkat ketertelusuran beragam tergantung pada kategori tipe rantai nilai, jenis skema sertifikasi, dan model pengelolaan perkebunan. Berdasarkan tipe rantai nilai, Tipe 2 menunjukkan kelapa sawit yang sudah diolah di pabrik dikirim langsung menuju perusahaan eksportir, sedangkan pada Tipe 1, kelapa sawit tersebut dimurnikan terlebih dahulu di kilang. Tipe ini paling banyak ditemukan dalam kasus ketertelusuran yang diamati di dua lokasi penelitian. Ketertelusuran juga bervariasi berdasarkan tahap dalam rantai nilai, mulai dari perkebunan, pabrik, kilang, produksi CPO dan PKO, hingga variasi di setiap tahapan tersebut. Proporsi kasus ketertelusuran tertinggi ditemukan pada dua tahap, yaitu ‘pabrik ke perkebunan’ dan ‘kilang ke pabrik’.

Kajian ini juga menunjukkan bahwa data ketertelusuran yang dapat diidentifikasi dengan jumlah kecil berada di tingkat perkebunan. Selain itu, pelaku usaha paling penting dalam rantai nilai adalah eksportir dan grup eksportir, terutama dalam menerapkan berbagai skema sertifikasi di setiap tahapan rantai nilai yang membutuhkan biaya tinggi. Sebagian besar eksportir memiliki bisnis terintegrasi, mulai dari pengelolaan perkebunan hingga pengolahan di pabrik kelapa sawit dan kilang. Pemahaman tentang struktur dan dinamika rantai nilai di tingkat kabupaten hingga nasional, sangat penting bagi pembuat kebijakan, pemangku kepentingan industri, dan pihak-pihak lain dalam menerapkan pendekatan yurisdiksi yang efektif untuk mendukung keberlanjutan industri kelapa sawit di Indonesia. Pemerintah kabupaten memiliki peran penting dalam memimpin pendekatan yurisdiksi berbasis praktik yang bertanggung jawab di tingkat kabupaten, baik di dalam maupun lintas batas administratif, dengan melibatkan berbagai pemangku kepentingan secara kolaboratif.

Dulu Ragu, Kini Menghasilkan: Cerita Intercropping Sawit dan Non-Sawit. Cerita Petani Sawit #5

Banyak petani beranggapan bahwa menanam tanaman sela di kebun sawit menghasilkan (TM) tidak bermanfaat karena sawit akan mengganggu pertumbuhan tanaman lain. Pengalaman petani di Desa Terang Bulan, Kabupaten Labuhanbatu Utara, menunjukkan tanaman durian dan pisang memang berhenti berproduksi setelah sawit berumur di atas 10 tahun, sehingga sebagian petani enggan mencoba intercropping. Namun, analisis tim SFITAL bersama penyuluh mengungkap bahwa kegagalan tanaman sela lebih disebabkan kurangnya pemeliharaan, seperti pemupukan dan pengendalian gulma maupun hama.
Kini, pola pikir petani mulai berubah. Melalui Kebun Belajar Agroforestri Sawit yang dibangun SFITAL bersama Kelompok Tani Pandan Wangi, Desa Terang Bulan menjadi desa percontohan sekaligus contoh nyata keberhasilan intercropping sawit dengan tanaman non-sawit bagi petani di sekitarnya.

Kisah Inspiratif: Nurlela dan Tiana, Petani Perempuan dari Labuhanbatu Utara. Cerita Petani Sawit #7

Di Desa Kampung Yaman, Labuhanbatu Utara, Nurlela membuktikan bahwa lahan terbatas bukan penghalang untuk berdaya. Berbekal pelatihan SFITAL, ia memanfaatkan kebun sawit tidak produktif dengan menanam cabai, ubi, jagung, pepaya, dan pisang. Hasil panen yang awalnya untuk konsumsi rumah tangga kini berkembang hingga ke pasar kecamatan, membuka jalan menuju kemandirian.
Sementara itu, di Desa Pulo Jantan, Tiana menekankan manfaat intercropping bukan hanya soal ekonomi, tetapi juga ketahanan pangan keluarga, menjaga kelembapan tanah, mengurangi gulma, dan meningkatkan nilai lahan. Bahkan limbah pelepah sawit dapat diolah ibu-ibu menjadi sapu lidi yang berguna dan bernilai jual. Inovasi sederhana ini menunjukkan bahwa intercropping dan pemanfaatan limbah sawit mampu meningkatkan kesejahteraan sekaligus menjaga keberlanjutan lingkungan.

Materi Pelatihan Agroforestri Sawit untuk Petani Model dan Agen Penyuluh

Buku Pengenalan Agroforestri Sawit membahas konsep, tipe, dan manfaat penerapan sistem agroforestri pada perkebunan sawit. Melalui pendekatan prinsip pengembangan agroforestri sawit, buku ini menjelaskan cara memilih tanaman pendamping yang tepat, mengatur jarak tanam yang optimal, dan membangun sistem kebun yang berkelanjutan. Selain pemeliharaan tanaman sawit, buku ini juga mengulas perawatan tanaman pendamping seperti pisang (Musa sp.), petai (Parkia speciosa), jengkol (Archidendron jiringa), dan durian (Durio zibethinus). Penerapan sistem agroforestri sawit memberikan berbagai manfaat, antara lain meningkatkan produktivitas lahan, menjaga keseimbangan ekosistem, memperbaiki kualitas tanah, serta meningkatkan ketahanan ekonomi petani melalui diversifikasi hasil.

Kumpulan poster materi pelatihan agroforestri sawit

Booklet ini merupakan kumpulan poster edukatif yang memuat materi pelatihan agroforestri sawit secara komprehensif dan aplikatif. Materi di dalamnya mencakup manfaat penerapan agroforestri sawit, hal-hal penting yang perlu diperhatikan dalam pengelolaannya, serta dasar-dasar perancangan sistem agroforestri sawit yang berkelanjutan. Selain itu, dibahas pula panduan pemilihan komoditas pendamping sawit yang tepat, pengaturan jarak tanam yang optimal, dan langkah-langkah dalam pembangunan serta pemeliharaan kebun sawit. Booklet ini juga mengulas strategi pengelolaan tanaman pendamping kelapa sawit agar tercapai produktivitas yang tinggi sekaligus menjaga keseimbangan ekosistem. Disusun secara visual dan informatif, booklet ini menjadi referensi praktis bagi petani dan penyuluh di lapangan.

Agroeconomic performance and labor dynamics associated with coffee and black pepper diversified cropping systems

This study examines the agronomic, labor, and economic impacts of crop diversification in Robusta coffee and black pepper farming systems in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, where these commodities are major sources of income for approximately 800,000 households. In response to market volatility, many farmers have diversified production by integrating coffee, black pepper, and fruit or nut tree species within the same farms. Using survey data from 238 households, the study compares monoculture systems with diversified cropping systems to evaluate differences in resource use, productivity, labor requirements, and profitability. The results show that diversification enhances land-use efficiency through higher planting densities and improves nutrient-use efficiency while maintaining coffee and black pepper yields at the individual plant level. Although coffee and pepper yields per hectare tended to decrease in diversified systems, production from additional crops compensated for these reductions. Resource-use patterns differed between commodities, with black pepper systems requiring greater phosphorus inputs and pesticide use, whereas coffee systems relied more heavily on nitrogen fertilizers and irrigation. Diversified coffee systems applied water more frequently but in smaller amounts per tree, contributing to reduced overall water use. Labor requirements also varied considerably among systems. Black pepper production was the most labor-intensive activity, particularly during harvest periods. Diversification helped distribute labor demand more evenly throughout the year, reducing seasonal labor peaks. Economically, black pepper systems generated higher gross outputs but also incurred greater operating costs, resulting in gross margins similar to those of other systems. Diversified systems, however, provided higher returns to labor. Overall, the findings indicate that diversification offers important benefits in resource-use efficiency and labor management while maintaining comparable profitability under prevailing market conditions, supporting the development of more resilient farming systems in the Central Highlands.

Agronomic levers to increase maize and soybean productivity across the Chinyanja Triangle, southern Africa

This study characterizes maize and soybean production systems in the Chinyanja Triangle, a major agricultural region spanning parts of Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique, and evaluates opportunities to sustainably increase crop productivity. Maize is the principal staple crop in southern Africa, while soybean is rapidly expanding because of its economic and nutritional value. Using crop-cut measurements from 485 maize fields and 509 soybean fields, farmer surveys, climate and soil data, and simulations with the DSSAT crop model, the study assessed actual yields, yield gaps, and the main factors limiting production. Machine-learning approaches were applied to identify key drivers of yield variability and diagnose production constraints across locations. The study identifies practical agronomic interventions that can help reduce yield gaps and improve crop performance across diverse farming environments. These findings provide evidence to guide technology development, extension services, and agricultural investment strategies aimed at enhancing sustainable intensification, strengthening smallholder livelihoods, and improving regional food security in southern Africa.

Characterizing Crop Distribution and the Impact on Forest Conservation in Central Africa

While the role of expanding agriculture in deforestation and the loss of other natural ecosystems is well known, the specific drivers in the context of small- and large-scale agriculture remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed satellite data and a deep learning algorithm to map the agricultural landscape of Central Africa (Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon) into large- (including for plantations and intensively cultivated areas) and small-scale tree crops and non-tree crop cover. This permits the assessment of forest loss between the years 2000 and 2022 as a result of small- and large-scale agriculture. Thematic [user’s] accuracy ranged between 91.2 ± 2.5 percent (large-scale oil palm) and 17.8 ± 3.9 percent (large-scale non-tree crops). Small-scale tree crops achieved relatively low accuracy (63.5 ± 5.9 percent), highlighting the difficulties of reliably mapping crop types at a regional scale. In general, we observed that small-scale agriculture is fifteen times the size of large-scale agriculture, as area estimates of small-scale non-tree crops and small-scale tree crops ranged between 164,823 ± 4224 km2 and 293,249 ± 12,695 km2, respectively. Large-scale non-tree crops and large-scale tree crops ranged between 20,153 ± 1195 km2 and 7436 ± 280 km2, respectively. Small-scale cropping activities represent 12 percent of the total land cover and have led to dramatic encroachment into tropical moist forests in the past two decades in all six countries. We summarized key recommendations to help the forest conservation effort of existing policy frameworks.

Dairy farms at an advanced stage in their agroecological transition show higher environmental and socio-economic performance

In Burkina Faso, the growing demand for milk prompts dairy farmers to pursue solutions that improve their production while maintaining profitability and sustainability. This study aimed to analyse the link between the level of agroecological transition achieved by dairy farms in the Bobo-Dioulasso milkshed area and their multidimensional performance. To address this issue, 204 dairy farms were assessed in the Bobo-Dioulasso milkshed area according to their level of progress in the agroecological (AE) transition, using the Holistic Localised Performance Assessment for Agroecology (HOLPA) tool. A typology of the dairy farms was produced according to their level of progress in the AE transition. Averaged scores for all questions in the HOLPA tool relating to the 13 principles of agroecology were used to rate each farm on a 5-point Likert scale, from 1 (Non-AE) to 5 (Very Strong AE). Performance was then compared according to these score levels. Results indicate that the dairy farms studied are mostly at the beginning (Non-AE: 7%, Weak AE: 54%, Moderate AE: 33%, and Strong AE: 6%) of their AE transition. Our findings suggest that dairy farms which have adopted more advanced AE practices demonstrate improved environmental, social and economic performance compared to conventional or less transitioned farms. The most AE dairy farms stand out on several key performance indicators. In terms of environmental performance, the most AE dairy farms achieve higher scores for crop diversity and natural resource and land management. In terms of social performance, the most AE dairy farmers share more knowledge about agroecology and natural resources, report higher levels of household satisfaction, and perceive trade associations as efficient. In terms of economic performance, the most AE dairy farms enjoy more stable and diversified income streams, which may reflect their greater resilience. With regard to agronomic performance, the most AE dairy farms perform better in terms of organic manure and fodder production. However, heavy reliance on labor and low crop productivity (e.g., for maize, sorghum, millet, rice, and cowpea) have been identified as key challenges to the AE transition and the sustainability of dairy farms. The findings of this study justify the implementation of several policy measures to support farmer training in AE on fodder and organic manure production, and natural resources management, to guaranty a better access to forages seeds and agricultural equipment to manage manure production, to increase the skills of farmers community in collective natural resources management in order to strengthen and accelerate the AE transition and enhance the resilience of the dairy sector in Burkina Faso. This study provides robust evidence to help improve public policy, guide dairy industry strategies, and support the agroecological transition in the Bobo-Dioulasso milkshed area.

Characterization and ecological importance of cocoa and oil palm agroforestry systems on the outskirts of a forest concession in southern Cameroon

Traditional production systems, agroforestry systems (SAFs) in southern Cameroon combine various types of trees of socio-economic interest which can contribute to the conservation of biodiversity. The objective of this work is to analyze the contribution of these agroforestry systems based on cocoa and oil palms in the sustainable management of peripheral resources of a forest concession in southern Cameroon. The methodological approach adopted consisted of carrying out socio-demographic surveys with 66 SAF operators using survey forms. A sampling rate of 10% was applied in seven villages in the Commune of Djoum. These interviews were supplemented by floristic inventories carried out on 69 plots of 40 × 60 m for a total area of 15.84 ha. The data collected allowed us to calculate various diversity and ecological indices, woody biomass and carbon stock, to which various statistical tests and Analyzes of variance were applied. The floristic potential is made up of 8,355 individuals divided into 177 species, 153 genera, 47 families, and classified into 3 woody groups, namely introduced, preserved and perennial species. The Shannon index between land use types varies from 2.15 bits in palm agroforests to 3.9 bits in forests while it is 2.81 bits in cocoa agroforests. The forests of the UFA and the peripheral SAFs share 42 forest species out of 63 inventoried species, ie 66.7% of forest species preserved in cocoa agroforests, proof of the effectiveness of the conservation potential of these SAFs in the region. The largest diameter class is [10–20] cm while the largest height class is the stratum of [5–10] m. Tree density and basal areas are highest in forests with 110.51 stems/ha and 42.08 m2/ha. Three types of architectural profiles for cocoa-based SAFs and two types of architectural profiles for oil palm-based SAFs were identified with a typology that shows 4 groups of TUTs based on ecological interactions. Forests are the type of land use that stores the most carbon (115.81 tC/ha) compared to 93.54 tC/ha for palm agroforest and 58.8 tC/ha for cocoa agroforests. Gradients of diversity, density and complexity vary with proximity to the forest concession. These results could be considered as effective and quantifiable tools for the certification of numerous cash crops such as cocoa and oil palm, which will make it possible to promote this endogenous knowledge scientifically and in the development of various programs and publications. technical notes.

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