Watani of White Pepper
Sustainable Muntok White Pepper Agroforestry in Bangka (2019-Ongoing)
Definition
Watani or Wanatani (in bahasa) or agroforestry is a collective name for land-use systems and technologies where woody perennials (trees, shrubs, palms, bamboos, etc.) are deliberately used on the same land-management units as agricultural crops and/or animals, in some form of spatial arrangement or temporal sequence. Agroforestry can also be defined as a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resource management system that, through the integration of trees on farms and in the agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production for increased social, economic and environmental benefits for land users at all levels. This approach of land-use management system is crucial especially to smallholder farmers and other rural people because it can enhance their food supply, income and health.
Design.
The system was designed for Bangka island region, in Indonesia, where the climate is considered tropical wet-dry (Köppen), characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons, with yearly precipitation of 2.514 mm, most of it occurring in the summer, from November to May. The mean regional temperature is 27 C. The 2 plots where the design will be implemented are around 6 km far from water bodies and relatively flat (31 m) in the coastal plain. The soil type is classified as Spodosol, which are ashy gray, acidic soils with a strongly leached surface layer. Their suitability for cultivation is limited to acid-tolerant crops and orchards, provided that sufficient lime and fertilizer are applied.
The design was based on self-sustainable organic white-pepper agroforestry production, considered no use of any artificial fertilizer and chemical inputs, provisioning service species as the main source of nitrogen, biomass and other not-measurable nutrients. It was considered a diverse of characteristics of agroforestry systems compositions and interactions, mainly considering strata, succession and roots interaction along with soil properties.
A pre-selection list was used as the main source of species to compose the system design. The main crop of the design is pepper, for white pepper production (Pipper nigrum), a labor-intense commodity traditionally cultivated in Indonesia, though in current decline due to low productivity, plant diseases, lack of quality seeds and difficulties in water supply.
Project Partners
VSS
Verstegen is the main sponsor of this project. They support sustainable entrepreneurship. They are aiming to further improve the quality of the herbs and spices.
CAN
Our role is a host in this project. We provide a demo plot in our learning center dedicated to developing a pilot agroforestry system for farmers and others to learn from it.
Pretta Terra
Provides replicable designs of regenerative agroforestry production systems, combining scientific data, empirical information and traditional knowledge with technological innovations.
reNature
reNature Foundation provides information, guidance and supports local authorities, cooperatives and farmers in setting up a sustainable agriculture in the form of agroforestry.