Planting Hope, Reaping Sustainability: "Analysis of Community Perceptions and Participation in Agroforestry"

Abstract

Abstract Community-based forest management presents both challenges and opportunities for maintaining a balance between environmental sustainability and improving community welfare, both within forest areas and on surrounding lands. This study analyzes community preferences for currently cultivated and desired future crops, as well as the perceptions and participation of the Mesakada Village community in agroforestry management. The method used is a descriptive quantitative approach with data collection through questionnaires to 56 respondents, as well as a validity test to ensure the accuracy and consistency of answers, reliability, and Pearson correlation. The results of the study indicate that the community develops productive plants and timber trees, with the majority having a high perception of the benefits of agroforestry from ecological, economic, social, and technical aspects, with 77% of respondents evaluating agroforestry management positively. Meanwhile, the level of community participation is also relatively high (57%), particularly in the implementation and utilisation of results stages. The correlation between perception and participation was significant (Pearson’s r = 0.509, p < 0.05), indicating that community perception explained 25.9% of the variance in their participation in agroforestry activities.. Positive perceptions are an important asset in encouraging active community involvement. The development of agroforestry in protected forest areas through social forestry schemes and outside forest areas in Mesakada supports food security, local economic improvement, and natural resource conservation. The recommendations from this study emphasise the importance of increasing community capacity, land use planning based on local biophysical characteristics, and institutional strengthening to maintain the sustainability of agroforestry programmes.

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