Collaborative Environmental Project in Indonesia

ENVIRONMENTAL INTELLIGENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Perubahan Pola Tanam Perladangan:  Suatu Kajian Tentang Pengambilan Keputusan, pada Masyarakat Lauje di Desa Bobalo, Kabupaten Donggala, Sulawesi Tengah

 (Change in Dryland Farming Patterns: A Study of Decision making among the Lauje in Bobalo, Donggala District, Central Sulawesi)

 by: Sulaiman Mamar

(e-mail address: psluntad@palu.wasantara.net.id)

(sulmar@palu.wasantara.net.id)

Dissertation for Ph.D. in Sociology Airlangga University, Surabaya, 2000

This research was based on the debate both at the practical and theoretical levels concerning that the existence of shifting cultivation.  Practioners saw that shifting cultivation was not effective; it was not only unproductive but also destroyed the forest environment.  Therefore, it was necessary to perform a change to it.  In this respect, theory had a different perspective, that shifting cultivation was more productive in nature compared to activity done by holders of Forest Utilization Rights (HPH).   This was because besides generating contribution to livelyhoods for many people, its management relied on local wisdom.  This was why shifting cultivation was very difficult to be changed by external parties unless the farmers themselves decided to change it.

By virtue of this condition, the writer conducted a study the Lauje community in mountainous Bobalo village which was undergoing a change in planting are patterns; that is, from multi-culture into cocoa monoculture agriculture.  The main problems that are discussed in this study are: (1) why did the Lauje farmers adopt cocoa?,   (2) how did the decision making process take place in the adoption of cocoa?,   (3) what were the consequences generated by acceptance of cocoa among Lauje farmers?

To answer those research questions, a qualitative approach was used with focus on an economic perspective.  Active participatory observation and in-depth interviews were employed to collect the data, as was theory-thematic analysis ethnography and the use of “decision-making approach”.

From the results, it could be concluded that: (1) the farmers have been aware that shifting cultivation activity had many ecological obstacles, and could not enhance their well-being.  Therefore, they accepted cocoa since according them, it can guarantee better lives; (2) adoption of cocoa could occur among Lauje farmers since there were pioneers as well as driving forces from merchants/markets such as some financial advantages when they planted cocoa; (3) the process of decision making in accepting cocoa took place through: recognition, persuasion, confirmation, confidence, willingness and decision; (4) this decision making by the farmers could be regarded as a rational choice since besides being based on knowledge, confidence and high degree of  willingness, it was also based on advantages expected from cocoa; (5) as a consequence resulting from adoption of cocoa, the farmers became dependent on market and ijon system, exhibited  consumerism behaviour, and exhibited changes in traditional social structure in the community.  Further, a new ecosystem, “cocoa forest”, was formed.

Key words:      local wisdom, decision making, role of the market, rational choice, and agriculture change.

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