Abstract
In Indonesia, social forestry is promoted as a rural development strategy intended to improve community welfare while supporting sustainable forest management. By granting long-term and inheritable rights to manage state forests, the program is expected to provide a solid foundation for sustainable livelihoods across generations. Yet, how current social forestry participants and prospective successors perceive the future livelihood prospects offered by the program and its roles in sustaining long-term engagement remains understudied. This study examines intergenerational perceptions of whether social forestry can function as a sustainable livelihood pathway and sustain participation in the future. The research combines a household survey of 419 current and prospective participants from multiple farmer groups across production and protection forests with in-depth interviews involving key stakeholders. Quantitative analysis using Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) identifies the main factors explaining differences between generations, while qualitative evidence helps interpret the underlying motivations. The results reveal a marked intergenerational difference in perceptions. Many current participants regard social forestry as an important source of livelihood and are willing to invest time and efforts intensively in managing their plots. In contrast, many potential successors view it primarily as a supplementary livelihood option at best and express limited interest in future participation. Limited economic viability, uncertain returns, and technical knowledge gaps are central in shaping these views. These findings suggest changing patterns of people–forest relations and raise questions about the long-term continuity of social forestry in the studied contexts. They also suggest that incentives, support systems, and opportunities for youth engagement may become increasingly important for sustaining participation across generations.
SDGs:
SDG 1:No Poverty
SDG 15:Life on Land
Link Dokumen:
Download