Enhancing the knowledge and skills of smallholders to adopt market-oriented tree management practices: lessons from Master TreeGrower training courses in Indonesia

Abstract

Growing trees on farmland continues to be a promising land-use option for smallholders in Indonesia as they look to diversify their enterprises beyond the main agricultural sector. While most smallholders integrate trees into their farming systems, selling timber and other tree products has usually been infrequent and opportunistic. Because of this infrequent trade, most smallholders rarely adopt silvicultural practices that would increase the commercial value of their trees. A research project trialled an alternative approach to forestry extension in Indonesia, known as the Master TreeGrower (MTG) training course. The MTG training courses used a farmer-centred approach to teach smallholders about forest science and took participants to market hubs so they could better understand how different forest products were valued by traders. The MTG training approach was trialled in 2014 in five districts in Indonesia and involved 118 smallholders and 27 non-farmers as course participants. This article reports on a recent evaluation of the MTG training courses held about three years earlier to explore the enduring impacts of the training approach and whether it can be scaled-out to other areas of Indonesia. The evaluation data were collected via focus group discussions (FGDs), in-depth interviews, household surveys and observations at three project sites: Pati (Central Java), Gunungkidul (Yogyakarta) and Bulukumba (South Sulawesi). A questionnaire was distributed among the participants of the FGDs to assess the extent different knowledge and skills of tree management that had been adopted by them following the MTG courses. The evaluation of the MTG approach revealed that the courses were effective in increasing smallholders' knowledge of commercial forestry and their silvicultural skills. Many participants were more active with silviculture and planned to invest further in commercial forestry following the MTG training. In effect, the MTG training appeared to change the hearts and minds of the farmers about how commercial forestry could enhance their livelihoods.

Beyond the ‘Field of Dreams’ model in smallholder forestry: Building viable timber value chains for smallholder tree growers in developing countries

“…Many smallholders are unconvinced about the benefits of investing more of their capital in tree and plantation management and applying silvicultural techniques commonly used in commercial plantations to improve stand value, such as thinning and pruning. Farmerfocused training courses, such as the MTG program in Pati, which informs smallholders about how different silvicultural approaches are reflected in market prices, can change behaviour (Muktasam et al, 2019). In some situations, regulations can limit the ability for smallholders to generate benefits from intermediate products (ACIAR, 2017).…”

“…through more hands-on training, such as through the Master Tree-Grower (MTG) program in Pati (Muktasam et al, 2019). The MTG has been effective in making silvicultural knowledge and skills much more farmer-centred rather than those pursued by industrial plantation managers.…”

Modern Smallholders: Creating Diversified Livelihoods and Landscapes in Indonesia

“…Social networks appear to also have helped smallholders from around Indonesia in pursuing a variety of strategies to enhance their livelihoods, with agricultural intensification, enterprise diversification (on and offfarm) and migration (Hapsari, Muin and Bisjoe, 2018). The strength of local networks among farmers has also been adapted to advisory/extension initiatives, with experienced smallholders supported to mentor their neighbours interested in agroforestry (Muktasam et al 2019;Reid 2017).…”

Innovative agroforestry development in private forest through community partnership

“…The approach applied were effective in engaging farmers in the content and processes that were directly relevant to their forestry-related needs and aspirations. The content was delivered in a style and language suited to the participants, and at a pace governed by their needs and abilities [16].…”