Field research was conducted on 1,050 Indonesian households to understand the effects of the Asian economic crisis on the well-being of small farmers outside of Java and on their forest-clearing practices. The main findings are: (a) most farmers perceived themselves as worse off during the crisis than before, challenging the claim that farmers with export income would be better off and (b) forest clearing by farmers increased significantly during the crisis to expand rubber holdings and other tree crops, with the aim of increasing future income security. Among the policy lessons are that crop diversification and targeted aid can minimize impoverishment and avert increased forest clearing following macroeconomic destabilization.
Publication year
2001
Authors
Sunderlin, W.D.; Angelsen, A.; Resosudarmo. I.A.P.; Dermawan, A.; Rianto, E.
Language
English
Keywords
economic crises, farmers, social welfare, change, forest cover, household surveys, land clearance
Geographic
Indonesia
