Inequality and Poverty of Privately Owned Forests Farmers in Rural Areas of Indonesia

Land limitation dramatically affects people with land-based livelihoods, such as farmers, and is often an obstacle to earning sufficient income for their family’s needs. Privately owned forests (POFs) are a land-based farming activity with a long history in Indonesian society. This study aimed to determine the socio-economic conditions, inequality, poverty, and livelihood dynamics of POF farmers. The research was conducted in three villages in Ciamis Regency, West Java Province, Indonesia. The research was conducted from February to May 2022 through structured, questionnaire-based interviews and in-depth interviews. The number of respondents was 170 POF farmers selected by simple random sampling in each village: 60 in Kalijaya village (18% of 325 farmers), 55 in Mekarjaya village (35% of 154 farmers), and 55 in Hujungtiwu village (37% of 148 farmers). The data obtained were processed using the Gini index and Poverty Line calculations, and analyzed descriptively. The results of this study show that POF farmers are dominated by productive age, long farming experience and low education. POF is the most dominant land use in the three research locations, but the income and contribution of POF are high only in Kalijaya village and lower in Mekarjaya and Hujungtiwu villages. Regression analysis indicates that land has a strong positive impact on farmers’ income. Land inequality was present in farmland, paddy fields, and POF land. The overall level of income and land inequality was less equitable in all locations. Land and income from POFs and non-POFs worked together to reduce POF farmers’ income and land inequality for POF farmers. Poverty was also more widespread among POF farmers in Mekarjaya and Hujungtiwu communities, where average land ownership was low. Farmers’ strategies to deal with this condition include continuing to farm the land but also diversifying their work both within and outside the village. Policymakers can utilise this information to promote or incentivize POF farmers to optimize POF management and improve their families’ living standards.

土地资源限制极大地制约了以土地为生计依托的群体（如农民）的生产生活，且往往成为其赚取足额收入以覆盖家庭开支需求的阻碍。私有林（Privately Owned Forests，以下简称POF）是印度尼西亚社会中历史悠久的土地依托型农业生产活动。本研究旨在探究POF农户的社会经济状况、分配不平等程度、贫困现状以及生计动态演变。本研究于印度尼西亚西爪哇省展玉县（Ciamis Regency）的三个村落开展，调研实施时间为2022年2月至5月，采用结构式问卷访谈与深度访谈相结合的研究方法。本次调研共选取170名POF农户作为受访者，采用简单随机抽样法在各村落抽取样本：卡里加亚村（Kalijaya village）60名（占该村325名农户的18%）、美加惹亚村（Mekarjaya village）55名（占该村154名农户的35%）以及胡荣蒂武村（Hujungtiwu village）55名（占该村148名农户的37%）。所采集的数据通过基尼系数（Gini Index）与贫困线（Poverty Line）测算方法进行处理，并结合描述性分析方法开展数据分析。研究结果显示，POF农户群体以适龄劳动人口为主体，拥有较长的务农从业年限，但受教育水平普遍偏低。POF是三个调研区域最主要的土地利用类型，但仅在卡里加亚村，POF带来的收入及其经济贡献占比均较高，而美加惹亚村与胡荣蒂武村的相关指标水平均偏低。回归分析（Regression Analysis）表明，土地持有规模对农户收入具有显著正向影响。耕地、稻田以及POF林地均存在土地分配不平等现象。各调研区域的整体收入与土地分配不平等程度均未达到公平水平。POF与非POF相关的土地及收入资源形成协同效应，有效缓解了POF农户的收入与土地分配不平等问题。在人均土地持有量偏低的美加惹亚村与胡荣蒂武村社区中，POF农户的贫困发生率更高。农户应对该困境的生计策略包括：延续农业生产的同时，在村内与村外拓展多元化就业渠道。政策制定者可依托本研究成果，引导并激励POF农户优化私有林经营管理，进而提升其家庭生活水平。