The strategy of shifting cultivators in West Kalimantan in adapting to the market economy: empirical evidence behind gaps in interdisciplinary communication

Abstract

Issues of climate change and expansion of large-scale land acquisition for industrial plantations continue to ravage the shifting cultivation system that 300–500 million subsistence farmer households depend on. In Indonesia, particularly in Kalimantan and Sumatera, village communities continue to practice shifting cultivation amidst the conversion of lands into industrial plantations. The rampant conversion of farmer's land by large scale companies based in the market economy has resulted in the decline of the shifting cultivation system, and compelled them to enter commercial production. I employed qualitative methods, conducting in-depth interviews and observations in West Kalimantan in 2018. Shifting cultivation today is not just for subsistence, but it is also a strategy to maintain claims to land that has been handed over to companies. Concurrently, people have been developing community plantations using industrial commodities such as rubber and oil palm, which still incorporate subsistence features. The changes occurring in villages have led to conflict since land availability has reduced, while the alternative of working for forestry and plantation companies is hampered by their lack of skills and knowledge. Theoretically, this study indicates the need for communication and synergy between the perspectives of political ecology and cultural ecology in order to understand the socio-politico-economic complexities haunting the village community's alterations in subsistence strategies. The practical implications are that land-based village development should open up communication among stakeholders and position village communities as the key beneficiary in the long run.Keywords: Shifting cultivation, land conversion, adaptation strategy, market economy, political ecology, Kalimantan, Indonesia

Conflict transformation and collaboration in developing social forestry in Flores, Indonesia

“…The qualitative achievement such as changing attitudes, accepting differences of opinion, and readiness to collaborate with other parties (between communities, government, and NGOs) in the conflict transformation phase since the early reform era opened up an entry point into the technical implementation phase. Integrative policy support and directed technical activities were responded through the collaboration between the NGOs and forestry apparatus in the field for transformation of role, technical capacity building for the community in terms of agro-product processing, reinforcement of social institutions, and market network for the community or farmers (Maring, 2020). It is observed that collaboration and conflict transformation approaches are important processes that lay the foundation for social forestry movement in the field (Markopoulos, 2012).…”

“…In order to achieve such goals, the community needs to be supported through technical capabilities to manage the forest. Enhancing the community's capacity was, thus, a crucial aspect in developing social forestry (Boedhihartono, 2017;Maring, 2020;Nuddin et al, 2019;Pujo et al, 2018;Santika et al, 2017). Achieving the target area of social forestry had to take into consideration the process of fair land distribution as there were many administrative weaknesses and economic interests maintained by local actors (Nurlia et al, 2020;Royer et al, 2018).…”

Sociocultural Change, Communication, and Learning in Central Java, Indonesia

“…In a broader context, sociocultural changes in rural society are constantly associated with change in a broader social space. External socioeconomic intervention may penetrate villages and transit new values into village communities (Bettencourt et al, 2015;Maring, 2020;Uslu et al, 2020). Interventions from outside of the village, such as spatial change policy, resource vulnerability, and economic and social inequality, may mobilize villagers into the labor force in rural areas through an urbanization process and cause poverty in rural areas (Lan, 2021;Rudiarto et al, 2018).…”