Author : Muhammad Ridwansyah

Summary : The objective of this study is ascertain the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of cinnamon farmers in the KSNP including their perceptions on environmental issues; determine the benefits and costs of the cinnamon protection policy in the KSNP, and provide recommendations for improving the implementation of the cinnamon protection policy in the KSNP. A great proportion of the respondents were male. The majority of the farmers growing cinnamon are married. Their average age was about 42 years old. Majority of the respondent had attianed education at the elementary level. Only two-fifths stated cinnamon farming as their only source of income. More than 40 percent of the respondents cultivated less than one hectare. The mean cultivated area for cinnamon was 1.8 hectares per household. There were about 2,443 cinnamon trees per farm with mean stand age of about 8 years. The respondents consider KSNP as providing important services to them especially water for their farms and households. Eighty-eight percent of the farmers expressed their willingness to accept compensation for the opportunity lost due to the implementation of cinnamon protection program. Three alternative management schemes were considered in addressing the problems, needs, issues and opportunities affecting the cinnamon farmers: 1) the traditional cultivation system (without protection) will be continued, 2) Alternative 1 (with protection), farmers will not be given compensation and there is no sharecropping, and 3) Alternative 2 (with protection), farmers will be given compensation and there is sharecropping. Benefits expected to be derived from cinnamon protection program include increase in net products value, decrease in replacement cost associated with soil erosion and government revenues from sharecropping and cinnamon products charges. Costs include labor, materials, working capital, replacement of nutrients lost due to soil erosion, marketing cost, and protection activities. In order to improve the implementation of cinnamon protection program, the following are suggested: 1) an integrated and coherent legal and policy framework, 2) devolution and decentralization of resource management functions and responsibility, 3) provision of training and manpower development to KSNP personnel on the new concept of Integrated Conservation and Development Program (ICDP), 4) respect and promotion of indigenous knowledge and property rights, and 5) expansion of reserach to other cinnamon areas that may require similar protection program.