The impact of community capacity building on forest management at Paru Village Forest, Sijunjung Regency, West Sumatera

Abstract

The management of Paru Village Forest in Sijunjung Regency, West Sumatera, has not been optimal, resulting in the low economic value of the farm products and relatively weak bargaining position of the farmers. Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), in collaboration with Forest Research and Development Center, facilitated training through technology transfer to increase farmer's capacity in forest management; post-harvest product processing; and alternative livelihood development in Paru Village Forest located in Sijunjung Protected Forest Management Unit since 2016 until 2020 to overcome the situation. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of facilitation on increasing the community's capacity in forest management, post-harvest product processing, and alternative livelihood development. Data collection was carried out by interviewing 34 respondents, selected purposively using semi-structured questionnaires. Collected data and information were analyzed descriptively by comparing before and after situations. The results showed that after AFoCO facilitation, the community's interaction with the forest has increased by 26.47%. The total number of farmers farming in the forest increased by 16.14%. The study also revealed that AFoCO facilitation had created new alternative sources of income having forward and backward linkage, as well as access to network marketing, thereby increasing the product selling price and marketing reach.