Farmers' perception to climate change and adaptation to sustain black pepper production in North Lampung, Indonesia

Abstract

Lampung Province is the largest black pepper production area in Indonesia mainly in North Lampung District. However, in the last decade the area and production is declining. This research aims to study farmers' perceptions of climate change and challenge to sustain black pepper production in North Lampung. The study was carried out in North Lampung District using survey method at two sub-districts of major producing area of black pepper that purposively sampled namely Abung Barat and Abung Tengah sub-district in March-June 2019. A total of 93 respondent farmers from 4 villages were randomly sampled. The conclusions are: (1) Sustainability of black pepper production in North Lampung faces challenges regarding declining of planting areal, low productivity, climate change, and low interest of the younger generation in black pepper farming; (2) Farmers in the two sub-districts mostly agree that the current climate is different from the climate 10 years ago and they have perception that as impact of climate change pepper yield is decreased by 25-49%; (3) To sustain black pepper production and to adapt climate change, farmers are practicing mixed culture system of pepper-coffee-and other cash crops, using live support of legume tree, and continuing rehabilitation or replanting of black pepper plantation