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     1. Complex agroforests
     2. Tree-Soil-Crop interactions
     3. Soil and water conservation
     4. Indigenous fallow management
     5. Imperata grassland control

Complex Agroforests, Some examples from Indonesia

By Hubert de Foresta, Genevičve Michon and Ahmad Kusworo

Introduction	In this series the difference between so-called 'traditional' versus 'modern' systems and "simple agroforests" and "complex agroforests" is briefly illustrated. A focus was put on the complex agroforests, hence we will take a short walk into some existing systems commonly found in various provinces on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia: Shorea (damar) in Krui (province of Lampung), rubber agroforests in Jambi and Cinnamon agroforest around Kerinci (province of W-Sumatra). We also look at the question, why complex agroforests might be important from different perspectives: agricultural development with farmer’s perspective and a forestry or silvicultural perspective. We also look at how agroforests originated and how they can be maintained.

Narrative
	Slide 1: Title [taken by Genevičve Michon Š IRD]
	Slide 2: How do 'traditional' systems differ from 'modern' systems, and simple systems from more complex ones?
	Slide 3. Example of a simple agroforestry system: A mixed garden with cacao grown under coconut trees mixed with cassava planted as food crop (North- Lampung, Sumatra). [taken by Meine van Noordwijk Š ICRAF]
	Slide 4: A natural forest ?…No, an example of a complex agroforest system dominated by damar trees in Krui, West- Lampung. [taken by Hubert de Foresta Š IRD]
	Slide 5: Now, let us take a walk into this damar agroforest. Damar agroforest were conceived by and are managed by local communities. The system as such evolved from traditional management practices. The main species is damar (Shorea javanica) mixed with many fruit trees. This ensures a relatively high biodiversity and a diversified and steady income for the farmer the year round. [taken by Hubert de Foresta Š IRD]
	Slide 6: Why should we grant special consideration to Agroforests? A perspective from agricultural development with a farmer's and shifting cultivator’s perspective.
	Slide 7: Harvesting durian from a damar agroforest. [taken by Hubert de Foresta Š IRD]
	Slide 8: Fruiting season of duku (Lansium domesticum). It is a sweet fruit collected in the damar agroforest and gets a high market price. [taken by Hubert de Foresta Š IRD]
	Slide 9: Another agroforest product: Pete or 'Stinkbean' (Parkia speciosa) is used as vegetable. [taken by Genevičve Michon Š IRD]
	Slide 10: This is the actual product, where the damar agroforests are famous for: its damar resin. [taken by Hubert de Foresta Š IRD]
	Slide 11: Notice the labour intensive way of harvesting damar resin in Krui, West- Lampung. Farmers climb up to 4 or 5 m high to collect the damar. The damar resin is usually harvested once per month. [taken by Hubert de Foresta Š IRD]
	Slide 12: The processing and sorting of damar resin into different quality classes. Much of it is exported to Europe, USA and Japan for processing in the chemical industry (for paints, varnishes, ...). [taken by Hubert de Foresta Š IRD]
	Slide 13: Why should we grant special consideration to Agroforests? A forestry or silvicultural perspective.
	Slide 14: Of course timber is an important by-product! [taken by Hubert de Foresta Š IRD]
	Slide 15: Dipterocarp (damar) agroforest can reach a very high standing volume as you can see here, higher than normally attained in primary tropical forest. More data are needed to estimate the growth rate. Do also note the thick layer of surface litter and the high density of herbaceous plants and the lack of understorey. [taken by Genevičve Michon Š IRD]
	Slide 16: For comparison: A primary forest in Jambi (Sumatra). Similar with the damar agroforest is the thick litter layer. In contrast the uneven structure of the primary forest allows for an understorey, outcompeting herbaceous plants. [taken by Meine van Noordwijk Š ICRAF]
	Slide 17: Complex agroforests exhibit forest features, including the clear dominance of trees, a multilayered structure and a closed canopy, e.g. the damar agroforests in Krui, West-Lampung. Do note all the holes in the trees: A clear sign that damar resin is regularly harvested. [taken by Genevičve Michon Š IRD]
	Slide 18: So, now we have a natural forest then? No! Here an example of a cinnamon based system mixed with durian and timber species in West-Sumatra. [taken by Genevičve Michon Š IRD]
	Slide 19: Cinnamon can also be cultivated as a pure plantation. Note the pink canopy of the young leaves. Site near Puncak, Bogor, West-Java. [taken by T. Thomas]
	Slide 20: Cinnamon harvesting in an agroforest in Maninjau, West-Sumatra. Regular income can be provided by harvesting a few Cinnamon trees each month. [taken by Genevičve Michon Š IRD]
	Slide 21: ‘Pure’ plantations of Cinnamon are managed on a 10-12 year rotational basis by clearcutting. [taken by T. Thomas]
	Slide 22: A rubber agroforest in Jambi, Sumatra. The rubber production per ha is lower than on a mono-culture plantation, but production can go on for much longer than on monoculture plantations and one has the benefit of the various products of other trees. Labour and capital involved in the establishment of such agroforest stands are also much lower than in clean weeded monoculture plantations. [taken by Meine van Noordwijk Š ICRAF]
	Slide 23: Old (about 50 years) rubber tree in a rubber agroforest in Jambi. Gap replanting and natural regeneration of rubber agroforests explain the longer productive lifecycle compared to pure plantations. Avoiding a waiting period without income (the establishment phase) makes this gap replanting system very attractive for resource poor farmers. [taken by Meine van Noordwijk Š ICRAF]
	Slide 24: The gap replanting or 'Sisipan' system is used by many farmers in Jambi. (Notice the bamboo pole to protect the young rubber seedling from damage by wild pigs.) It allows an extension of the current productive stage of the agroforest. Most complex agroforest systems are still less than 100 years old. Often trees of the first generation still make up the upper canopy. It is an open question, if mature complex agroforests can thus be kept continuously in that productive stage or if at some point in time the agroforest will have to be felled, cleared and often burned, … and then replanted (and thus for some time look like the next slide). [taken by Meine van Noordwijk Š ICRAF]
	Slide 25: Perhaps hard to believe, but most agroforests started as swiddens and at some point in time looked like this: A felled, cleared and often burned plot! But … do notice the rubber seedlings already planted. The upland rice is just harvested (note the remaining straws) and the Chilli pepper plants (bearing the yellow fruits)… an early stage of a future agroforest in Jambi, Sumatra. [taken by Hubert de Foresta Š IRD]

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN AGROFORESTRY