Damar agroforest establishment and sources of livelihood a profitability assessment of damar agroforest system in Krui, Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

Damar agroforest or repong damar in Krui, West Coast of Lampung Province, Sumatra, Indonesia, is a forest-like land use system that was developed by small holders to meet multidimensional objectives. From conservation point of view, damar agroforest system affords environmental benefit. The forest-like structure of agroforest allows the conservation of large part of natural forest biodiversity. From economic perspective, this land use system provides a wide range of source of income to farmers, their neighborhood and the actors along damar trading chain. One of the interesting parts of the damar story, on which this study is emphasized, lies on the way of farmers to initiate and develop this land use that need 20 - 25 years. Two research questions can be addressed in this assessment therefore : is repong damar establishment economically and financially profitable and what is the return to land and labor?