Abstract:
The object of this study is to analyses the competency of farmers managing the protected
forest in relation to sustainable efforts and conservation farming. The benefit of the study
is to find out the strategies of developing competency to answer the balance of protected
forest sustainability and the farmers’ necessities. Study is carried out in Lampung
Province which includes 400 respondents in 12 villages in 4 registers (Reg 19, Reg 22,
Reg 38, and Reg 45 B) along the protected forest’s border. Data was collected on May to
October 2005 from interviews, closed questionnaires and observations. Quantitative data
underwent first step of correlation test of Konkordasi Kendall W, to further test of Path
Analysis and Structural Equations Modeling (SEM). Result of study shows sustainability
competency owned by farmers in each area is different, for instance area of knowledge
(3,12), behavior (3,04), and skills (2,73). This condition encourages farmers “to know,
willing but unable to carry out” sustainability due to the imbalanced competency and
direction. Result of structural equations shows that competency to sustain is influenced
by 92% technical forestry factors, 100% socio-economic factors, 18% socio-cultural
factors, 83% conservation techniques. In relation to that, the conservation efforts for
protected forests are prioritized on economical aspects, forestry sectors, and conservation
farming. Based on measurement equations, socio-cultural factors are strong potential and
latent transformers to change the competency of the farmers.
