The Amarsi model: an example of indigenous natural resource management in Timor, Indonesia

Defining the predominant cause of tropical deforestation is a major issue of contention in international politics. The present debate revolves around the role of indigenous swidden agriculture in propagating this destruction. Misinformed government policies have not been successful in identifying sustainable alternatives for these resource poor swidden farmers. However indigenous farmers on the island of West Timor in eastern Indonesia have drawn on their intimate knowledge of the local environment and have successfully used indigenous management practices to overcome environmental degradation. The indigenous farmers in Amarasi District have altered their local institutions to tackle their ecological problems. The resulting Amarasi System of agriculture and community development is a blend of politics economics religion and adat (customary) law. The success of Amarasi lies in the relationship between indigenous forms of land and resource management and the incentives provided for adopting and.maintaining sustainable agriculture and practicing conservation management technique

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