Social Role-Play Games Vs Individual Perceptions of Conservation and PES Agreements for Maintaining Rubber Agroforests in Jambi (Sumatra), Indonesia

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Financial incentives can both support and undermine social norms compatible with environmental service enhancement. External co-investment-e.g., through incentives from programs to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) and eco-certification-needs to synergize with local efforts by understanding local dynamics and conditions for free and prior informed consent. We assessed the perceptions and behavior of rubber agroforest farmers under existing conservation agreements as a step toward institutionalized reward schemes for agro-biodiversity using questionnaires and roleplaying games (RPG). To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to apply such a combination of methods to explore the perceptions of payments for environmental services (PES). Results revealed a strong conservation belief system and social norms in the research site, with indications that individual interest in converting old rubber agroforest to oil palm, with consequent private gain and loss of local social agrobiodiversity benefits, is suppressed in the social context of a role-playing game. In the game, all financial bids by external agents to secure an oil palm foothold in the village, were rejected despite indications of declining income in the village. Agents promoting an eco-certification scheme in the RPG had success and the responses obtained in the game can assist in the actual rollout of such a scheme without creating unrealistic expectations of its financial benefits. Co-investment schemes that require higher levels of trust and clarity of performance measures will have to address the potential discrepancy between individual preferences and community-level planning and decisions, while recognizing that social norms color the responses of individuals when presented with alternatives.

How Have Environmental Concepts Reshaped the Agroforestry Concept?

“…Some research programs have been implemented since 1994 to promote these systems and to enhance better interactions: some systems are based on a mix between rubber and fruit trees and other are more adapted for the fight against some diseases and pests (Penot and Ollivier, 2009). Financial incentives such as payment for environmental services should be given in order to promote these systems against monocultural systems that are more attractive for farmers (Villamor and Van Noordwijk, 2011). Moreover, in a context where more food production is needed, an extensive and low yields vision of management cannot be dominant: jungle rubber can in this way be compared with a "pristine" vision of nature, in which human activities are absent or limited.…”

Market-based instruments for risk-averse farmers: rubber agroforest conservation in Jambi Province, Indonesia

“…Without policy interventions the agroforest is likely to be converted to oil palm and rubber monoculture (Villamor and van Noordwijk, 2011;Villamor, 2012). Such land-use change increases greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss and hydrological disturbance (Tomich et al, 2004).…”

Grazing game: a learning tool for adaptive management in response to climate variability in semiarid areas of Ghana

“…RPGs, especially with game boards, have been used to simulate and help human actors visualize and react to potential future uncertainties based on their existing knowledge and experiences (Vieira Pak andCastillo Brieva 2010, Villamor andvan Noordwijk 2011). With respect to land-use decisions in the face of climate change, RPGs can help stakeholders identify options for resilience-building responses to extreme climate change impacts.…”