Farmers' economic perceptions of demonstration plot development of kaliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meisner) biomass energy at Parungpanjang research forest: Findings from a focus group discussion

Abstract

Energy needs in Indonesia are increasing and have inverse impacts on the source and production of energy itself. One effort that can be done to overcome this problem is to use biomass energy sources, especially for home industries and people surrounding the forests. This research aims to describe the perceptions of farmers, as potential workers, about the development of Calliandra calothyrsus Meisner wood energy demonstration plot. The Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was conducted in the Parungpanjang research forest. Qualitative content analysis methods were used to explore the data collected from FGD. The results showed that farmers have a positive perception of the development of wood energy demonstration plots. However, they only assume that being a worker in the demonstration plot is only a side job.