KONTRIBUSI KAWASAN HUTAN DALAM MENUNJANG KETAHANAN PANGAN: STUDI KASUS PROPINSI JAWA BARAT

Abstract

Food security is the condition of the fulfillment of food for households as reflected in the availability of sufficient quantity and quality, safe, equitable and affordable. Due to its importance, government has declared that food security as obligatory undertakings in its administration as stipulated in Government Regulation number 38 of 2007. Forest lands traditionally have been known as source of non wood forest products including food for people living in surrounding forests. Perum Perum Perhutani as a sole forest state enterprise in Java has adopted strategic policy to involve villagers in managing its plantation forests in which villagers are allowed to grow food and perennial crops (mainly food crops) in between planted trees and are given full right to harvest all the yield. As this policy (known with acronym PHBM) has proceeded for several years, all new forest plantations in Java has implemented the PHBM. This study is aimed to find out the share of forest lands managed under PHBM scheme to food production in general in comparison with agricultural lands. The study is conducted in West Java Province. Data were collected mainly secondary data from Perum Perum Perhutani, Food Crops, and other offices in Sukabumi and Bandung Barat regencies, West Java province. The study showed that food crops (paddy rice, corn and beans) production from forests fluctuating year by year, in total the share of food production from forests was less than one percent of total food production. In order to improve its share and sustainability, measures to increase the spaces between trees and introduction of crops variety that can increase yields need to be adopted. Long term collaboration between Forestry services, Perum Perum Perhutani, and Agriculture services, and Food Security Agencies should be strengthened to achieve the goal.