A study of sustainable peat cultivation implemented by the community of Tumbang Nusa Village, Central Kalimantan

Peatlands have enormous potential to produce food sources for supporting population growth. Farmers generally prefer plants that can adapt to changing conditions. However, challenges remain, such as limited knowledge of local community about peatlands’ function and management. Local community practices endogenous knowledge to manage peatlands, but it is rarely documented as best practice for peatlands management in Indonesia. This study aims to understand endogenous management implemented by local community for sustainable peat cultivation. The management is currently considered as the best solution to solve problems related to peatlands management. The study was carried out in Tumbang Nusa Village, Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan Province, using a semi-participatory approach with a stratified purposive sampling for selecting participants of in-depth interviews and field observations. An investigation of endogenous management related to biophysical aspects that determines sustainability was done by identifying main characteristics of peatlands in the dry season. The data were analyzed qualitatively by using Use Value. The results show that the community applied agroforestry systems interspersed with introduced plants. There were seven patterns implemented by the community, including pineapple-forest crops-seasonal fruit-food based, rubber-forest crops-seasonal fruit/food-based, a combination of forest plants, a combination of forest plants-annual introduced plants, a combination of forest plants-annual/food crops, and a combination of annual crops. The seven patterns based on the local wisdom are suitable for peatlands. It is in accordance with modern peat management which considered as the form of a pure Paludiculture and an intensive semi Paludiculture.