1.5 MULTI STORY AGROFORESTRY – THE EVOLVING STORY IN ASEAN
On a recent touristic visit to Bali, I ended up being fascinated most by Bali’s traditional agroforest and rice irrigation system called Subak. The Subak is an example of the many captivating traditional agroforestry narratives in the humid tropical Southeast Asia. Another is the Ifugao forest and rice terrace system. Both systems are guided by cultures that nurture indigenous respect to the reliable ways of nature (water cycle and nutrient cycle). But the Subak, Ifugao and similar systems as well as the more modern Agroforestry system are under threat.
An age-old rice irrigation system called the Subak system supported by agro-forest landscapes and, kept alive by adherence to Balinese spiritual value system called ….
An ancient forest – rice farm symbiotic systems exist in the Cordillera of the Philippines (see more discussion under the theme on Heritage and Wellness
The principles that we learn from the remaining pockets of Traditional agroforestry systems also help inspire recent ASEAN efforts to spread the adoption of agroforestry in the region.
Remarkable Communities
Upland communities practicing the subak system in Bali. …,
Upland communities in Lampung Sumatra, Jave and Kalimantan
Ifugao rice terrace farmers in Cordillera
Enabling Projects
IFAD – ICRAF Technical and Institution innovations project,
Dynamic Conservation Project
ASEAN Social Forestry Network and the ASEAN SDC Social Forestry and Climate change Project,
USAID RDMA Agrobiodiversity review
SLM Ph project
UNESCO heritage seal and The Subak agri landscapesystem – The subak system of Bail involves the community driven systems of maintaining of agroforests, natural waterways and ensuring equitable and sustainable water use, all rooted in the Baline value system of it is supplemented by irrigation infrastructure built during the Dutch colonization. The system has been well maintained and is recognized by the UNESCO. Modern formal Governance is also supplementing the traditional system in order to support maintenance, and a install a level of regulation to mitigate the fierce onslaught of external drivers (tourism). I had a recent exposure to this during a recent R&R visit to Bali – supposedly for conventional tourism. But I ended up spending more time to study the subak, fascinated by the personal discovery of this awesome ancient water management knowledge system.Ifuguao rice terraces Ref: worldAtlas .comThe Damar agroforest system – In parts of Sumatra, Jav (?) and kalimantan (?) many upland farmers are well skilled in domesticating forest trees right in their own farms. These agroforests provide a rich menu of food and ecosystems services.Innovations newsletter – Throughout SEA, upland villages living adjacent to remaining forests maintain multi story agroforest systems that provide for food nutrition, medicine and livelihoods. The system also protects local forests or recreate them by domesticating them (planning on far,), However these systems are dwindling due to the recent lure of quick cash from short term annual crops for export or industry. Indonesia started a social forestry /network in the ASEAN and agroforestry features prominently in the conversation. I was involved the pioneering dialogues for this ASEAN network. Above is a newsletter of a capacity building program I was involved that covered ASEAN.This classic article from ICRAF argues that agroforests maintained by upland farmer communities can provide the same; level of ecosystems services almost similar to forests.A recent study by the US Forest Service indicates that commodity driven agriculture is now replacing most traditional multi story agroforest systems as well as multi-copying systems in south east Asian countries.Bald mountain – Driven by the lure of immediate cash incomes many traditional multi story is giving ways to short gestating monoculture production for industry and exports.Anatomy of land use change – this diagram illustrates the pathway to agricultural land use change in many parts of the Philippines.Agroforestry Manual – The ASEAN member states recently batted to promote agroforestry in the region as a means to help protect the remaining forests, restore degraded agricultural systems and in some cases, conserve cultural heritage. Multi story systems will be important on farm adaptation to climate change. Restoring agroforests will help protect watershed so important now for lowland irrigation to be maintained.
Thought leaders and fellow travelers
Dennis Garrity, Jun Mercado, Delia Catacutan, Lyndon Arbes, Ann Delo Angeles, Meina, Lakewood Community, ICRAF SEA team, ICRAF Phil team, SANREM team. I couldn’t find a more committed team!
Insights
The case of the Subak system and the Ifugao Terrace system also involve stories of land use change driven by eternal drivers- tourism and cash commodity monoculture
Agroforestry of past has the principles to guie modern agroforestry
But current agric governance in most of ASEAN- many unplan farmers, commodity driven agriculture
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