Customary Forest Utilization: The Determinants of Indigenous (Adat) Community’s Economic Welfare

Abstract

Customary forest utilization to improve the indigenous (adat) community welfare must be in line with local wisdom and preserving ecological function, even though they are no longer part of the state forest. In term of sustainable customary forest management, knowledge related to customary forest utilization and community welfare is getting significant to be study object. The paper aims to identify and analyse the determinants of indigenous community’s income. It was conducted in indigenous community of Kasepuhan Karang, Banten in 2018. Data collection was taken by purposive sampling, processed by ordinal logistic correlation and descriptive analysis. The results show the indigenous community has high level of dependence on the forest through on and off farm. From the respondents, the average income from forest use is below the regional minimum wage. While from the partial test results, it is concluded the land owned area and the livelihood type have a significant positive effect on the income level. Therefore, land distribution should be well managed due to conservation issue and livelihoods diversification to increase income level. Nonetheless, formal education level undetermined on income level. Informal education, capacity building of the community regarding to sustainable customary forest management needs to be organized.