Project Purpose/Outcomes : |
The project amis to improve quality further in future years, it is proposed to train selected farmers to deliver certified planting materials with support of the Indonesian Rubber Research Institute. It is proposed to initiate at least one nursery per village. The nursery run by CARE in its “Sluices” project could serve as a training site. Efforts to improve the quality of rubber produced by farmers in the KFCP area will only be effective if value chains are improved for the farmers and rubber buyers are informed about the changes in quality. Thus, the value chain effectiveness has to be enhanced through improved pricing (differentiated by grading) and better access to information. Proposed interventions to improve the value chain are the following:
- Introduce rubber auctions and a progressive pricing regime through collaboration with processors to ensure that farmers and sharecroppers receive better prices in return for a better quality product. Links could be made with work that has been done along these lines in Jambi by ICRAF and WARSI through training and exchange visits followed by testing an auction system in the KFCP area.
- Develop group-based marketing to negotiate with the rubber factory, building on existing local institutions such as water management associations or organising new farmers groups. The initial focus will be on joint learning to improve management of the crops, leading to collective marketing efforts.
- Provide incentives to invest in improved jungle rubber systems through REDD payments. Jungle rubber systems show room for productivity improvement. However, more extensive and thus less productive systems offer more scope for avoided deforestation and carbon sequestration through stock enhancement. Incentives can be provided for farmers to adopt these types of systems with an optimal mix of livelihood
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