multipurpose tree species research for small farms: strategies ... - part

western half of Timor. It is the poorestprovince in
Indonesia, with a per capita income of Rp 251,720
per annum (Momuat and Husni 1988; US$1 =
Rpl,770). Compared to the other islands of
Indonesia, very little research has been carried out
in NT!. The government's focus in the lasi five
years to improve the living standards of the toof er
eastern islands has increased development
activities. Agriculture contributes 53% of the
province's gross domestic product (GDP) with
over 90% of the population depending on
agriculture for their livelihood,
The techniques outlined above have been
effectively used to identify where MPTS can be
incorporated into the farming system. A broad
outline of the existing farming systems in the region
is discussed. Poffenburger and Suryanata (1987),
Fox (1977), Metzner (19 82), Carson (1989) and
Momuat and Malian (1988) discuss the farming
systems of NTT in more detail. As Raintree (1987)
recommended we must fully diagnose the problem
before we can design suitable research programs.
This technique is used to highlight how
appropriate MPTS based research programs have
been identified for NTT.
Diagnosis
Environment - Physical, Social and Economic
Farming systems are determined by the climate,
NTT is the driest province of Indonesia. Due to its
proximity to Australia, the area has a dry season of
6-8 months, with low rainfall ( 8 00-1,500mm), and is
generally considered a semi-arid environment.
The southeast monsoons bring dry winds from
Australia, precluding cultivation between April
and November without irrigation. Most rains fall
during the northwest monsoons. Rainfall
variability between years and within seasons is
high. Periods of drought during the growing
season, sometimes lasting 2-3 weeks, are common,
The islands of NTT consist of the inner and
outer Banda arc. The inner Banda arc islands are
comprised of the volcanic islands of Flores and
Alor. The outer islands of Timor and Sumba have
formed as a result of the collision between the
Banda arc system and the Australian continental
shelf (C!DA 1980). The soils of the inner islands
are predominantly volcanic and vary in fertility,
Soils derived from volcanic ash have poor water
retention capacity, which further exacerbates the
soil moisture requirements of the crop. The
islands of the outer arc consist of raised sea floor
materials, ranging from marine mud to coral
uplifts. The soils of Timor and Sumba are either
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highly calcareous or sodic as a result of their
marine origin. This results in several soil
nutrient deficiencies.
The islands throu/hout NTT have a very high
proportion of steep, high terrain. Timor and
Sumba are still being constantly uplifted at a
rate of several millimeters per year, which
predisposes the land to erosion. Mountains of
over 2,000m are common. The combination of
active uplift, seismic activity, a severely erosive
climate and geological materials susceptible to
erosion have led to continuous changes to the
environment. The impact of humans has
accelerated land degradation in several areas.
Wet season cropping forms the basis of the
farmin system, with maize being the princ I
crop. ice is grown where irri~ation is available
or in areas with high precipitation. Several
other crops are grown with maize to
complement the diet and to provide a harvest if
the maize crop fails. In some areas, maize may
fail two years in five because of adverse climatic
conditions or pests. Cassava, sweet potatoes,
mungbeans, pigeon peas, peanuts and squashes
are common intercrops.
A farmer will generally crop two distinct
parcels of land. A housegarden is continuously
cropped with a range of annual and perennial
crops. The second area is the ladang, or
cultivated field, where the bulk of the annual
cropping takes place. The ladang is generally
cropped for 2-3 years before being abandoned.
In areas where land is not readily available a
farmer may have to continuously crop only one
parcel of land. In NTT, very few areas can
sustain continuous ciopping, therefore most
farmers rotate their croppin locations. The
swidden system was the traditional cropping
system. H7owever, increased population
pressure has intensified cropping and resulted
in the conversion of forested areas into
grasslands.
Most produce is grown for subsistence use
and crops are rarely sold, wi!h the exception of
certain legumes. Labor and seed are the only
inputs in the system. Chemicals and fertilizers
are either not available, are too expensive, or
too difficult to apply. Only a few of the rice
farmers use fertilizer. The infrastructure to
assist in the supply of inputs and marketing of
cash crops is rudimentary. Marketing systems
operate to the traders' advantage, resulting in
poor return' to farmers for cash crops. Formal
credit systems are available but are rarely
designed to allow a farmer ready access to the