Technological change and biodiversity in the rubber agroecosystem of Sumatra

Large areas of the humid tropics have land use patterns that do not fit into a simple culture/nature or agriculture/forest dichotomy and thus the term 'deforestation' refers to a gradual loss of forest functions, rather than an abrupt change. The term ‘agroforest’, as defined by de Foresta and Michon (1996) captures the mixed heritage of the ‘wild’ and the ‘domesticated’ aspect of these systems, or as an intermediate stage between natural forest and agricultural plantations. Outside perspectives on these systems have focussed on either side of the coin: poorly managed, low productivity, because ‘too wild’ or interesting biodiversity but not like a real forest, because ‘too domesticated’. Yet, these land use systems should be understood from a farmers/managers perspective if we want to understand what scenarios exist for their future development. Can farmers increase productivity (and/or profitability) while maintaining current biodiversity of the system Or, will any intensification beyond current practices lead to a further decrease of biodiversity values, which in the past were largely derived from the natural forest context of the system. In this chapter we will discuss these perspectives on the basis of ongoing research by ICRAF and partners in Jambi, one of the main rubber producing provinces in Sumatra (Indonesia)

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