Analisis Diversifikasi Penghidupan dan Penerimaan Petani Hutan Kemasyarakatan dalam Mendukung Prinsip-Prinsip Agroekologi

Abstract

Environmental change and increasing economic pressures require land-use systems that sustain rural livelihoods while maintaining ecosystem functions. Agroecology offers an integrated framework for balancing production, livelihood diversification, and ecological sustainability; however, empirical evidence from community forestry systems remains limited. This study assessed household income and livelihood diversification among Community Forestry (Hutan Kemasyarakatan, HKm) farmers and examined their relevance to agroecological management. The study was conducted in Rejang Lebong and Lebong Regencies, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, in 2025, involving 300 respondents selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using structured interviews, field observations, and in-depth interviews with Forest Farmer Group leaders. Household income was analysed using farm-income analysis, while livelihood diversification was quantified using the Livelihood Diversity Index (LDI). Mean annual household income was IDR 106,984,442, with coffee cultivated on HKm land contributing 71.95%, coffee outside HKm areas 18.05%, intercrops 9.12%, and non-agricultural sources 0.88%. The mean LDI was 0.548, indicating moderate livelihood diversification. These findings reveal substantial household dependence on coffee despite the presence of complementary income sources. Strengthening locally appropriate agroforestry diversification could broaden household income portfolios, reduce economic concentration on coffee, and support more adaptive and agroecologically aligned HKm management.