Smallholder Rubber Agroforestry Options for Improving Livelihood and Conservation

Indonesia has the largest area (3.5 million ha) of cultivated rubber (Hevea brasiliensis)
in the world and produced 2.7 million tonnes of natural rubber in 2007. Smallholder rubber farmers (with <5 ha plots) constitute 84% of rubber area and provide about 68% of total natural rubber production in the country. A large majority of these farmers still practice traditional agroforestry systems using unselected rubber seedlings. Most new technologies have been developed for estate plantations and less
appropriate for smallholder farmers. Rubber Agroforestry System (RAS) (Penot, 1997)
has been developed in which improved rubber clones are adopted for traditional practices. The tradition of growing rice in the first year or two is maintained; weeding
is limited to a narrow strip along rubber rows; space between rubber rows is not weeded while naturally regenerating valuable timber, fruit and other trees are protected.