Publication Date:
2022-10-07
Description:
Specialization in agricultural systems can lead to trade-offs between economic gains and ecosystem functions.
We suggest and explore a conceptual framework in which economic gains can be maximized when production
activities are specialized at increasingly broader scales (from the household to the village, region or above), particularly
when markets for outputs and inputs function well. Conversely,more specialization likely reduces biodiversity
and significantly limits ecosystem functions. When agricultural specialization increases and moves to
broader scales as a result of improved infrastructure and markets or other drivers, ecosystem functions can
also be endangered at broader spatial scales. Policies to improve agricultural incomes may influence the level
of specialization at different scales and thus affect the severity of the trade-offs. This paper takes Jambi province
in Indonesia, a current hotspot of rubber and oil palm monoculture, as a case study to illustrate these issues.We
empirically show that the level of specialization differs across scales with higher specialization at household and
village levels and higher diversification towards the province level. We discuss ways to resolve trade-offs between
economic gains and ecological costs, including landscape design, targeted policies, and adoption of longterm
perspectives.
Keywords:
ddc:634
Language:
English
Type:
doc-type:article
,
publishedVersion