The Livelihood Challenge of Forest Honey Bee Farmers amidst COVID-19 Pandemic in Mutis, Indonesia

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected various sectors of the global communities, including those that depend on forests for honey products. Furthermore, the dynamics of production and availability are completely affected by government restrictions. This study focuses on the short-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the forestry sector. Specifically, it examines the pandemic effect on forest honey farmers in habitat management, harvesting, marketing, farmer institutions, and livelihoods. The study was conducted on forest honey bee farmers through field observations and structured and in-depth interviews. Data were collected using five variables and 30 indicators in Fatumnasi Subdistrict, South Central Timor Regency and analyzed using descriptive and quantitative analysis. The results showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the socio-cultural and economic utilization of forest honey. Additionally, social restrictions have reduced habitat management performance, farmers institutions and livelihoods, harvesting, and marketing. This has increased pressure on the livelihoods of forest honey bee farmers than before the pandemic. Moreover, it has directly affected their lives and the ability to provide quality forest honey. Therefore, interventions are needed to strengthen marketing and institutional networks to face the changes during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Chronicle of Indonesia’s Forest Management: A Long Step towards Environmental Sustainability and Community Welfare

“…MONEV of watershed management should consider the integration of local knowledge related to disaster mitigation and forest management and their ecosystems, such as in the community at Mount Merapi [84], community-based land rehabilitation initiatives in the watershed area in Temanggung [85], and local knowledge-based disaster risk mitigation in Gunungkidul [86]. Likewise, the community in the Mutis Mountain Forest catchment area on Timor Island maintains the concept of the "triangle of life" in forest management, namely Mansian Muitnasi Nabua, which means that humans, forests, and livestock are an inseparable part of life [87]. In addition, they have local wisdom related to the protection of land and water sources in dry areas of Timor Island [88,89].…”

Analisis Kelayakan Finansial Budidaya Lebah Tetragonula Biroi di Kabupaten Konawe Selatan

“…Pemasaran madu jarang dilakukan oleh peternak karena kegiatan pemasaran madu terbatas karena akses lokasi yang cukup sulit sehingga pemasaran para peternak hanya terbatas pada masyarakat lokal sekitarnya. Pemasaran hasil hutan bukan kayu memang sering terkendala pada keterbatasan akses lokasi dan kurang memadainya kemasan yang digunakan sehingga kurang menarik bagi konsumen (Njurumana et al, 2021).…”

Carbon storage potential of Eucalyptus urophylla at several density levels and forest management types in dry land ecosystems

“…urophylla is a natural forest that is dominantly found on the mainland of Timor Island, especially in the Mutis Timau area (BKSDA 2018). People in East Nusa Tenggara are aware that the region is a water catchment area, as well as a source of honey and firewood for communities around the buffer zone (Njurumana et al 2021). Furthermore, the high wood density of 0.93 grcm 3 and durability make the trees attractive to the public as a source of firewood (Marimpan and Purwanto 2010).…”

“…Their presence is also expected to help in the control of microclimate in the surrounding area. The quality of environmental services in the form of honey and clean water sources is important in meeting the needs of South Central Timor, North Central Timor, and Kupang Districts (Nature Conservation Agency 2018; Njurumana et al 2021). There are few studies on the potential for carbon storage in the natural forests of E. urophylla in dryland areas.…”