On the Interchange of Subsistence Agriculture and Rainforest: An Indonesian Case

摘要

The rainforest role as agent in maintaining the ecosystem balance is constantly under threat. Forest conversions have occurred in all over the world on a very rapid progress. Most of the conversion associated with rural fanners practicing subsistence farming. Part of slash and burning farming system particularly in South Sulawesi has been shifted to land clearing for cereal and state crops (ie. Cocoa) by the rural farmers. This study conducted to trace the rate of forested land conversion into subsistence fanning and the driving factors behind this process. The multi temporal Image analysis together with field survey been conducted to find out the rate of conversion and the perception of the rural farmers on land conversion. The study shows that the basic need for survival and the desire to get better life style has driving the people to further convert the forested area into farming land and some of the converted land was abandoned back to forested land.