One step to prevent damage, while utilizing peatlands sustainably and sustainably, is to use the concept of agroforestry.
This sustainable cultivation pattern, which utilizes peat wetlands rich in organic materials, has the principle of combining planting trees and food crops.
Not only limited to the agricultural sector in the form of food crops, by applying agroforestry techniques on peatlands, we can carry out livestock, forestry, and fisheries cultivation activities, in one environment or land unit.
However, considering the nature of peatlands which are known as marginal wetlands, it is necessary to understand the nature of peatlands themselves, as well as the types of food crops that can grow well in wetlands.
What is Agroforestry?
In terms of the term itself, agroforestry comes from an English loanword, namely agroforestry, where the word agro itself means agriculture, while forestry means forestry.
Well, in Indonesia itself, this agroforestry technique is actually quite well known in several regions, namely with the term wanatani or forest farming. Where the concept of wanatani is efficient and productive land management in the midst of limited land availability problems.
However, in terms of the concept itself, there are at least three main components in the agroforestry system, namely forestry, agriculture and livestock. In this agroforestry system, at least 5 types of combinations are known, namely;
- Agrisilviculture; namely the combination of forestry components with the agricultural sector, for example planting hardwood trees, shrubs, palms or bamboo with agricultural product components.
- Silvopasture; namely a combination of forestry components with livestock.
- Agrofilvopasture; namely a combination of 3 components in the form of agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry.
- Silvofishery; a combination of forestry components with fisheries cultivation.
- Apiculture; a combination of beekeeping and forestry
Benefits of Agroforestry for the Environment and Society
As we already know, the monocropping cultivation method or planting one type of plant in one unit of land has been proven to be costly and prone to crop failure.
Different from agroforestry or agroforestry techniques. In this system, the balance of the ecosystem and the biodiversity in it can be maintained naturally. This is because there is no one species or pest that dominates one environmental unit,
so that the risk of pest and disease attacks can be reduced to such an extent.
For example, the presence of shady trees, shrubs, and various flowers will attract various types of predators that prevent pests and diseases for plants and livestock cultivated on the land.
Not only that, this agroforestry technique combines three or more combinations of agricultural cultivation sectors accompanied by forest preservation activities. This method can optimize land use, so that it can meet the needs of food, fuel and quality of life of the community.
By maintaining the natural forest and tree ecosystem, disasters such as erosion, drought, and forest fires can also be prevented. Especially if the concept of agroforestry is applied in peat wetlands. When peatlands can maintain their ecosystem and avoid drought, of course forest fires will not happen again.
Getting to Know Paludiculture; Agroforestry Practices in Peatlands
Handling peatlands requires special techniques, so that peat wetlands do not lose their original properties, namely wet and watery.
That is why cultivation activities on peatlands, whether agriculture or animal husbandry, require different handling, where land drying must be avoided.
For that reason, agroforestry practices with paludiculture methods, namely cultivating plants without drainage on peatlands by selecting cultivated plant species that are suitable for planting in wetlands, need to be considered. With the hope that peatlands can be utilized by the community to provide food, energy sources, and medicines.
The selection of types or species of food crops that can adapt to wetlands is expected to provide economic benefits to the community, while also providing additional biomass or biological material from dead plants, to continuously increase peat formation.
Types of plants that are suitable for cultivation in peat wetlands include;
- Types of tuber vegetables; Purun or water chestnut
- Types of leafy vegetables; Water spinach and water spinach
- Types of fruit vegetables; Bitter melon and bitter gourd
- Types of biomass companion plants; Lotus, gambir and fern
Of course, to maximize the potential of these plants, a more in-depth study is needed regarding cultivation techniques and plant care that are suitable for cultivation on peatlands, so that the results obtained can be maximized and have a positive impact on the peatland ecosystem.
