Many farmers in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, have been converting rubber agroforests to monoculture oil palm plantations, decreasing diversity in the landscape. We want to reverse this trend, by making rubber agroforestry attractive again. What have we done and learned?
- Indigenous rubber farmers in Simpang Dua subdistrict, Indonesia have improved productivity through better land-use practices.
- Rubber farmers organized by establishing a Collective Rubber Processing and Marketing Unit, trained them in post-harvest treatment of the rubber to increase prices, and helped with developing direct linkages with rubber buyers.
- We have learned that financial institutions are unlikely to provide loans to new and unexperienced farmers’ organizations. Non-profit organizations can help to overcome this barrier.
- Improving the attractiveness of diverse rubber agroforestry requires, among others, the development of value chains for organic products, and increased tenure security for rubber farmers.