Stakeholders' contradicting perceptions on the effects of agroforestry and monocropping systems on water use

Abstract

Abstract The involvement of stakeholders in forest management decisions is crucial to the success of these programmes. Consequently, understanding stakeholders' perceptions is relevant for adequate management and development. In this study, the perceptions of key stakeholders are identified and compared concerning the effects of agroforestry and monocropping systems on water use in the farmlands of the Getas-Ngandong forests (10,901 Ha), a teaching forest belonging to Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. Q methodology was used to identify the variety of stakeholder viewpoints on the effects of farming practice on water use. 17 statements were ranked by 33 respondents along a five-grade approval scale. The methodology revealed a consensus on some hydrological benefits of agroforestry. Beyond this, three distinct perceptions were identified regarding water related to farming practices. The first is that monocropping systems use more water than agroforestry, while the second states the opposite and the third does not assign the extent of water use to specific systems. Stakeholder groups hold contradicting beliefs within and between themselves. It is important, therefore, to identify which perceptions are true and which are based on myths.