Organic Agroforestry for Soil Conservation and Food Availability in Timor, East Nusa
Tenggara, Indonesia
In: Papers Submitted to the International Conference on Organic Agriculture and
Food Security, FAO, Rome, Italy, 3-5 May 2007. Page 73-75.
By YMTM, YAFA and TWN
Introduction
Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) district is located in the semi-arid island of Timor, East Nusa
Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The area has limited rainfall and arable land, aggravated
by slash and burn agricultural practices that reduce soil fertility, and cause erosion and
sedimentation of rivers. As a result, the province faces annual food supply vulnerability
during the dry season.
Yayasan Mitra Tani Mandiri (YMTM) and Yayasan An Feot Ana (YAFA) developed, for
the past ten years, organic agrosilvopastoral programs with communities to address this
problem. With support from Third World Network (TWN) and Vredeseilanden Indonesia
office (VECO-Indonesia), a one year study was conducted in 2005-2006 to document the
impact of the program in three villages: Manumean (Biboki Utara sub-district), Noepesu
(Miomaffo Barat sub-district) and Sunsea (Miomaffo Timur sub-district). Ten families
were surveyed from each village, five practicing agrosilvopastoral methods, and the other
five practicing conventional agriculture.
The objective was to observe the difference in food availability and family income due to
intervention of the agrosilvopastoral method. The documentation applied participatory
research approach, with focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and field
visits.
Results
The organic agrosilvopastoral intervention has led to higher crop productivity, food
availability and income of farming families as shown in Tables 1, 2 and 3. Each family
may have different crop combinations so there is difference in income between families
in the agrosilvopastoral system.
Table 1: Average yield of selected food crops (Kg/Ha/family/Year)
Food Crops
1 Corn
2 Dry/wet rice
3 Ground nut
4 Kidney bean
Village
Manumean
ASP
CF
78.44
12.18
85.77
15.78
81.54
4.13
0
0
Noepesu
ASP
48.86
0
0
36.36
CF
36.91
21.79
0
18.28
Sunsea
ASP
23.43
26.64
28.59
0
CF
18.88
23.40
11.58
0
1
5 Green bean
6 Tali bean
7 Potato
32.31
0
0
7.67
0
0
0
2.23
38.45
0
3.37
5.09
0
1.61
0
0
1.85
0
Total
278.06
39.76
125.90
85.44
80.27
55.71
Source: primary data analysis
ASP = Agrosilvopastoral system; CF = Slash and burn conventional system
Note: Noepesu is not suitable for dry land rice farming due to high rainfall. Rice is
planted in a different location from the garden and therefore is not been measured.
Corn and rice are not sold in the markets. Both conventional and agrosilvopastoral
farmers keep part of the harvest for seeds, traditional rituals, and donations to the church.
Agrosilvopastoral farmers had about 65-118 kg more corn, and aside from Noepesu, had
28-54 kg more rice for family consumption (Table 2).
Many conventional farmers face food shortages during November-February, since the
food is consumed during the dry season. In the past, agrosilvopastoral farmers also faced
similar shortages. Now, agrosilvopastoral farmers have enough food reserves and income
to buy food while conventional farming families with limited income have to look for
wild tuber crops for food or work as construction labour in the cities. The larger supply of
vegetable crops also provides more nutrients to the agrosilvopastoral families, who also
have enough money to take their children to the public health centre.
Table 2: Average food availability (Kg/family/year)
Crop
Corn
Rice
Usage & Availability Village
Manumean
ASP CF
Average production 260 133
Seed reserve
30 30
Other use
10 10
Average availability 220 93
Noepesu
ASP CF
215 107
20 30
0
0
195 77
Sunsea
ASP CF
216 151
30 30
0
0
186 121
Average production
Seed reserve
Other use
Average availability
0
0
0
0
246
30
0
216
260
25
0
235
172
25
10
137
63
20
0
43
187
25
0
162
Source: primary data analysis
ASP = Agrosilvopastoral system; CF = Conventional farming
Table 3: Average income (Rp./family/year) from selling farm produce
Products
Village
Manumean
Noepesu
Sunsea
2
1 Food crops
2 Perennials
3 Vegetables
4 Livestock
Total
ASP
1,763,000
2,230,320
1,054,600
4,528,000
9,575,920
CF
473,000
518,840
149,000
1,390,000
2,530,840
ASP
CF
1,966,000 486,400
3,824,200 718,400
4,089,600 708,800
5,990,000 1,878,000
15,869,800 3,791,600
ASP
CF
1,298,000 463,000
798,600 168,320
476,600 132,000
3,027,000 1,397,000
5,600,200 2,160,320
Source: primary data analysis
ASP = Agrosilvopastoral system; CF = Conventional farming;1 US$ = about Rp. 9,000
Both agrosilvopastoral and conventional farmers select and save about 20-30 kg of rice
and corn and 10-20 kg of beans for seeds. Agrosilvopastoral farmers have about Rp. 3-12
million more income (Table 3).
Several factors have lead to the success of the agrosilvopastoral intervention. First it is an
integrated system involving soil and water conservation, planting perennial crops and
vegetable crops, and livestock rearing, and existing food crop cultivation. Soil and water
conservation measures, by making terraces strengthened by trees and burying organic
matter into the soil, make it possible to trap groundwater, provide fodder for livestock,
and allow farmers to shift from slash and burn practices to permanent cultivation systems.
Secondly, the diversity of crops and livestock provide for a steady income, fodder and
manure. An organic agrosilvopastoral garden can contain up to 20 crops in a single land
area; they rear 1-4 goats and cows compared to an average of only one livestock by
conventional farmers. Third, the technology used is simple and can be practiced
independently by farmers such as creating terraces with trees, making compost from
livestock and garden waste, and organic pesticides using local plants. Finally farmers are
encouraged to develop their own knowledge system about land characteristics, seasonal
variation and water availability. Thus they are able to plan their gardens carefully using
their self-developed seasonal calendar.
Conclusion
The organic agrosilvopastoral system is based on crop diversity, soil conservation and
knowledge about the land and the crops. In this way, agrosilvopastoral farmers harvest
products all year round, making sure food is always available. In addition, the
agrosilvopastoral system provides ecological and social benefits.
Permanent gardens have increased soil fertility and prevented erosion. The increase in
tree cover helps to protect against wind erosion. Having been introduced to more diverse
crops, farmers began to develop a local variety of the root crop iles-iles (maerato) as a
food reserve. The three villages have become a learning centre for farmers and
agricultural extension workers from East Nusa Tenggara and Timor Leste who want to
learn and practice agrosilvopastoral farming. Farmers have also developed seed exchange
mechanisms as a tool to encourage slash and burn farmers to shift to agrosilvopastoral
systems.
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References
This study is based on documentation by YMTM and YAFA staff.
Biography
YMTM and YAFA are NGOs in Timor, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia that aims
facilitate farmers’ independence, welfare and justice through the agrosilvopastoral system
based on community empowerment and environmental conservation. The
agrosilvopastoral program is supported by VECO Indonesia and World Neighbours.
TWN is an international organization in Penang, Malaysia, whose aim is to promote
awareness and activities, especially in the Third World, that would help bring about a
more equitable, just and environmentally sustainable world.
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