AGROFORESTY PRACTICES IN PADAWAN, SARAWAK. SYARIFAH KAMARIAH BINTI WAN MOHAMMAD A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Environmental Science (Land Use and Water Resource Management) SLUSE·M MASTER PROGRAMME Faculty of Resource Science and Technology UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK 2004
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AGROFORESTY PRACTICES IN PADAWAN, SARAWAK.
SYARIFAH KAMARIAH BINTI WAN MOHAMMAD
A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science Environmental Science (Land Use and Water Resource Management)
SLUSE·M MASTER PROGRAMME
Faculty of Resource Science and Technology UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK
2004
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In the name of Allah, All-Merciful, the Mercy-Giving,
I would like to thank my supervisor Prof. Dr. Wan Sulaiman bin Wan Harun for his
valuable advice and help throughout the course of this dissertation. Special thanks
are due to the experienced resource professional who provided valuable review for
this study including: Mr. Joseph Jawa Kendawang, Assistant Director
(Reforestation and Rehabilitation) of Forest Department Sarawak, Mr. Dawend
Jiwan Executive Forestry of Forest Department and Mr. Teng Chin Siong, head of
Soils Division, Department of Agriculture Sarawak. Thanks to Ms. Sharifah ...
Kedariah for her resilience during sampling and field works. Warmest thanks to
villagers of study sites especially Mr. Philips ak Dia and Mr. Mongud ak Niod for
their willingness in providing lots of information, which played an important role in
my dissertation. I also thank Department of Chemistry Sarawak for providing some
chemicals for soil analysis. I wish to thanks all technical staff of lJNIMAS, especially
to the Director of SLUSE-M Masters Program, Prof. Murtedza Mohamed, and
Assistant Director, Mr. Robert Malong for their great administrative, technical and
management for the program; and for lab assistants for their help out during
laboratory analysis. Thanks to all my friends for supports since I joined the SLUSE
M Masters program. To my family, sincere gratitude and thanks for their
encouragement and caring. I am grateful to all.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Abstract
Abstrak
CHAPTER 1 INRODUCTION
1.1 Agroforestry for sustainable land use 1.2 Significance of study
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM 2.1.1 Classification of Agroforestry
Major types of Agroforestry 2.1.2 Indigenous Agroforestry System
Home gardens Shifting cultivation
2.1.3 Major Components of agroforestry Land Tree Non-tree crops
2.1.4 Benefits of Agroforestry Effects of Agroforestry on Soil Agroforestry and the conservation of forest and biodiversity
2.1.5 Agroforestry in Malaysia Agroforestry in Sarawak
2.2 SOIL QUALITY 2.2.1 The General Concept 2.2.2 Indicators of Soil Quality
III
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1 2
4
4 4 4 6 7 8 9 9 9 11 12 12
13 14 15
17 17 17
Soil Physical Indicators Soil Chemical Indicators Soil Biological Indicators
2.2,3 Importance of Soil Organic Matter 2,2.4 Soil quality and Sustainable Agriculture
Agroforestry protects Soil Quality
CHAPTER 3 SCOPES OF STUDY AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3,1 PADAWAN: BACKGROUND INFORMATION 3,1.1 Location 3,1.2 Land Use 3,1.3 Topography and Vegetation 3,1.4 Common Agroforestry Practices in Padawan 3,1.5 Soils 3.1.6 Meteorology
Climate Temperature, Relative Humidity Rainfall Sunshine and Winds
3.2 ASPECTS OF STUDY
.. 3,3 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY 3,3,1 General objective 3,3.2 Specific objectives
3.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.4.1 Rationale of selected villages as unit of study 3.4,2 Data Source and collection
(a) Duration of Data Collection (b) Data Collection Methods
Agroforestry Practices Soil Data Plants ofImportance in the system Informal Conversation and Interviews Source ofInformation (secondary data)
CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4,1 DESCRIPTION OF AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES INPADAWAN
4.4 SUSTAINABILITY AND INTEGRATION IN PADAWAN 73 AGROFORESTRY
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 77
References 79
Appendix 1: Table: List of Species in Padawan Agroforestry 87
Appendix 2: Plates 93
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p ,...
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1
Table 2.2
Table 2.3
Table 2.4
Table 2.5
Table 2.6
Table 3.1
Table 3.2
Table 4.1
Table 4.2
Table 4.3
Figure 2.1
Figure 2.2
Figure 2.3
Figure 3.1
Figure 3.2
Trees or large shrubs with edible products for agroforestry
Principal trees for agroforestry systems
Some examples of successful agroforestry systems for trees and crops
Some tree crop combination in agroforestry systems that are
considered viable and still undergoing research in Malaysia
Soil quality indicator properties
General relationship of soil bulk density to root growth based on soil
texture
Various uses of plant species in Padawan
Soil group, family and series of Padawan
Common fruiting plants in the home garden of villages in Padawan
Ecological and cultural functions and uses of plants in agroforestry
system in Padawan
Soil Quality ofPadawan Agroforestry
LIST OF FIGURES
Characteristics of Agroforestry Systems
The interrelationship between soil indicators, and soil functions that
contributes to soil quality
Interaction between functions of soil organic matter
Location of Padawan
Soil Families of the Study Sites
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Abstract
Attaining agricultural sustainability remams at the forefront of Sarawak's
challenges. Indigenous systems of agroforestry in Padawan have some potential in
achieving this goal. This study illustrates the richness of existing heritage of
agroforestry possessed by rural communities of Padawan, both predominantly
subsistence and present-day urban agroforestry as practiced in conjunction with
monocultural cash-cropping. Agroforestry practices located in five different locations
within Padawan were observed and surveyed to describe the structure of the
practices, to determine species of importance in the system and to ascertain the
current soil quality of the system. Analysis of information from the field work and
literatures has led to identification of a number of cultivated wild tree species,
species that are of household utilization, localized economic, cultural and ecological
importance in the Padawan agroforestry system. In consideration of the importance
of to recognize the current soil quality in the agroforestry practices, indicators
associated with soil quality include soil reaction (pH), soil organic carbon, bulk
I density, soil texture and structure are being studied. Sustainability and integration t
Iof agroforestry in Padawan is also discussed. The study concludes that richness and I
stability of Padawan agroforestry makes the area an important site for in-situ ! conservation of forest resources. More research on aspects not covered within the ~ scope of this study is needed to enhance the state forest conservation and
development projects. I
I
Keywords: Agroforestry practices; Padawan; Species of importance; Soil Quality;
Agroforestry sustainability.
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Abstrak
Sarawak sentiasa dalam usaha mendapatkan bentuk pengurusan pertanian yang
mapan. Sistem Hutan-Tani di Padawan berpotensi untuk mencapai matlamat
tersebut. Kajian ini memberi gambaran tentang kekayaan Hutan-Tani Padawan
dari sudut pertanian sara diri serta pembangunan hutan komersil iaitu tanaman
kontan. Perhatian telah dibuat terhadap bentuk-bentuk Hutan-Tani daripada lima
lokasi kajian yang berbeza untuk menperihalkan struktur-strukturnya, mengetahui
spesies-spesies yang mempunyai kepentingan dalam sistem Hutan-Tani berkenaan,
serta menentukan kualiti tanah semasa bagi bentuk-bentuk Hutan-Tani yang
dikaji. Maklumat daripada kerja lapangan dan kajian perpustakaan membantu
dalam mengenalpasti beberapa spesies yang digunakan dalam sistem Hutan-Tani
Padawan seperti: spesies untuk kegunaan harian di rumah, berkepentingan dari .. , aspek ekologi, budaya, dan bernilai ekonomi. Penentuan Kualiti Tanah, sebagai
salah satu aspek utama dalam kajian ini telah menggunakan indikator seperti:
keasidan tanah (pH), karbon organik tanah, ketumpatan, tekstur dan struktur
tanah. Kemapanan dan kesepaduan Hutan-Tani Padawan juga dibincangkan.
Kajian ini merumuskan bahawa kekayaan dan kestabilan Hutan-Tani Padawan
menjadikan ia sebagai lokasi pemuliharaan in situ yang penting untuk sumber
hutan. Kajian yang lebih lanjut tentang aspek-aspek di luar skop kajian ini adalah
diperlukan untuk membantu kemajuan pemuliharaan dan pembangunan sumber
hutan negeri.
Kata kunci: Bentuk-bentuk Hutan-Tani; Padawan; Spesies-spesies yang penting;
Kualiti Tanah; Kemapanan Hutan-Tani.
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Introduction
CHAPTER!
INTRODUCTION
Deforestation, land degradation and environmental degradation are continuing
problems of the world. Malaysia is facing various challenges such as rapid increase in
human population, widespread deforestation, soil erosion, environmental
deterioration, etc. One of the solutions to combat these challenges lies in encouraging
agroforestry to sustain land uses.
Agriculture and forestry account for much of the world's land use. Generally,
agroforestry means practice of agriculture and forestry on the same piece of land
(Dwivedi, 1992). Most definitions of agroforestry carry the idea of sustainability and
increased benefit for rural or local population. Many traditional low input agroforestry
.. systems are being used all over the world, including fodder-trees or multi-purpose
trees, live hedges, intercropped fruit trees, improved fallows with shifting cultivation,
home gardens, windbreaks, forest grazing, etc. Modern agricultural systems, on the
other hand, often require large amounts of input (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides),
which increases the production costs and causes environmental risks.
1.1 Agroforestry for sustainable land use
Most countries have practiced agroforestry for centuries. In many parts of the
developing world, it is an important form of land use and a major contributor to land
use sustainability (Raintree, 1987). Panjab Singh et aL (1995) also claimed that
agroforestry has emerged as a new area of study with great potential for assuring
conservation and land sustainability.
. ....
F r
Introduction
Sustainability requires a constant search for new ways to meet the overall
" goals, while addressing current challenges (Van Noordwijk et ai., 2003). For instance,
in term of sustainable forest management, agroforestry have the potential to provide a
wide array of forest-related benefits to society. The Montreal Process on Criteria and
Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) identified several criteria,
which are essentially a statement of the goods and services that society derives from
its forests and agroforestry generally meeting the 1-5 of this criteria;
1. Biological diversity
2. Wood and non timber products
3. Healthy ecosystem
4. Soil and water resources
5. Maintaining carbon cycles
Therefore, agroforestry as a sustainable land use system is highly essential.
Agroforestry is a traditional concept where traditional farmers have long used trees in
combination with livestock and crops. It has however become a scientific activity now.
It has been reported by MacDicken and Vergara (1990), that agroforestry system has
high environmental adaptability in Malaysia due to the humid tropical climate. Thus,
agroforestry has the potential to provide a sustainable supply of tree products which
were formerly harvested from the forest, as well as improving the sustainability and
productivity of local agriculture.
1.2 Significance of study
Agroforestry has long been practiced traditionally and has been widespread
throughout Sarawak. This environmental friendly farming method could significantly
2
F ,.
Introduction
bring benefits to Padawan area, especially to the sustainable biological conservation
of genetic and natural resources. As this area is located at the outskirt of Kuching
and less urbanized, the existing agroforestry practices could be viewed as having high
potential for further development and with better inputs. Furthermore, agriculture is
one of the important socio-economic activities in Padawan. Like in most areas in
Sarawak, agroforestry practices in Padawan have not been well documented.
Therefore, the objective of this study was to provide additional baseline data in the
overall efforts of documenting the agroforestry practices in Sarawak in general and in
Padawan in particular. The findings of this study can also serve as guidance for
future agroforestry research in Padawan and other similar areas in Sarawak.
•
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Literature Review
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM
Agroforestry means the practice of agriculture and forestry on the same piece of land
(Dwivedi, 1992). Agroforestry is also an option of sustainable system for the use of
land (National Research Council, 1993), combining agricultural crops, tree crops and
forest plants and or animals simultaneously or sequentially, and applying
management practices that are compatible with the cultural patterns of the local
population (MacDicken and Vergara, 1990).
According to Nair (1991), concepts of agroforestry involving trees combined
with crops and / or animals on the same unit of land, places emphasis on the use of
indigenous, multipurpose trees and shrubs. Thus, it is structurally and functionally
more complex than monoculture. Agroforestry systems are designed to reduce the
risks associated with agriculture, small scale or large, and to increase the
sustainability of agriculture (Martin and Sherman, 1998).
2.1.1 Classification of Agroforestry
Major types ofAgroforestry System
There are in existence several types of traditional agroforestry systems, but no
standard classification system is available to categorize them (National Research
Council, 1993). Nair (1990) proposed a classification system based on structural,
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Literature Review
functional, agro-ecological, and socio-economic factors (Figure 2.1). These broad
categories are interrelated, and not necessarily mutually exclusive. However, most
commonly used categories are based on their structure and function. A general
classification developed by Nair (1985) puts the many agroforestry practices existing
world wide into major types based on the combination of the components:
• Agrisilvicultural: crops and woody plants
Agrisilviculture is the use of crops and trees, including shrubs or vines (National
Research Council, 1993). It includes shifting cultivation, forest gardens, multipurpose
trees and shrubs on farmland, alley cropping, and windbreaks as well as integrated
multistory mixture of plantation crops (N air, 1985).
• Silvopastoral: pasture and/or animals and woody plants
Silvopastoral systems are combinations of pastures (with or without animals) and
trees (National Research Council, 1993). They include cut-and-carry fodder
production, living fences of fodder trees and hedges, and trees and shrubs grown on
pastureland CMacDicken and Vergara, 1990).
• Agrosilvopastoral: crops, pasture and/or animals and woody plants
Agrisilvopastoral systems are those that combine food crops, pastures (with or
without animals), and trees and include home gardens and woody hedges used to
provide fodder, mulch, green manure, erosion control, and riverbank stabilization
(National Research Council, 1993).
• The fourth category of 'other system' is also included to catch those practices that
don't quite meet any of the prior three types, such as apiculture with trees. Apiculture
(bee keeping) is an agroforestry practice using honey-producing trees, and
aquaculture (National Research Council, 1993) is a practice whereby trees lining
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Literature Review
ponds provide leaves as forage for fish, and multipurpose woodlots that serve various
purposes such as wood, fodder, or food production and soil protection or reclamation.