Agricultural and forestry extension in biostimulants and bioinputs in Costa Rica: a short review / Extensión agrícola y forestal en bioestimulantes y bioinsumos en Costa Rica: una breve reseña

The use of biostimulants and bioinputs, including biofertilizers, biopesticides and microorganisms for agricultural use, has been developed considerably in the last three decades. Definitions for biostimulants vary greatly and there are still some arguments surrounding these compounds. However, they are defined as non-hormonal products which have a beneficial effect on plant growth. Many of these biostimulant materials are natural products that contain no added chemicals or synthetic plant growth regulators. Agricultural and forestry extension in biostimulants and bioinputs in Costa Rica has been a process towards sustainability.

Role of Extension Forest Officers in Forest Conservation in Cross River State, Nigeria

This study assessed role of extension forest officers in forest conservation in Cross River State, Nigeria. All the forest officers under the employment of the Cross River State Forestry Commission (CRSFC) formed the population of the study. Systematic sampling technique was employed to select 78 respondents for the study out of a population of 314 forest officers. Data were collected through validated structured interview schedule. Data were analyzed using percentage and mean scores. The major effective extension role of forest officers in forest conservation were creating awareness through environmental enlightenment campaign in forest communities ( x̄= 2.61) and dissemination of information in relation to public participation in forest conservation (x̄ = 2.61). The Major training needs of forest officers in forest conservation were sustainable forest management practices (x̄ = 3.39), forestry extension practices ( x̄= 3.32) and developing group participation. The most serious constraints to effective forestry extension service delivery were inadequate funding ( x̄= 2.97), and lack of vehicles for field staff logistics (x̄ = 2.80). ). Forestry extension service delivery in forest conservation was less effective, owing to a great number of constraints militating against the service delivery. For extension role of forest officers in forest conservation to be more effective in the state, there is need for extension unit to be created by the Cross River State Forestry Commission and specifically saddled with the responsibility of carrying out forestry extension functions along with the readiness of the state government to adequately coordinate and fund forestry extension services.

Towards sustainability of ecosystem services in North-East Nigeria

Ecosystem services are the very essence of the inhabitants of the North-East Region of Nigeria; hence the sustainability of these services is very important. The concept of sustainability is imprecise and reveals two main underlying issues which are intergenerational fairness and the moral responsibility of the current generation to its descendants on the one hand, and the role of assets provided by nature including forest and marine ecosystems in satisfying both current interests and the obligations we assume to the future on the other. Many benefits from ecosystem services accrue to the six states of Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe, Bauchi and Borno in the North-East Region of Nigeria. The economic value of Hadejia-Nguru wetlands which forms part of the Kamadougou-Yobe River Basin of the Lake Chad Basin was estimated at over US$16 million per year. The estimated value of ecosystem services that can be attributed to inland watersheds and wetlands range between US$5000 and US$100,000 per hectare while coastal watersheds and wetlands were between US$500 and US$1,000,000 per hectare in 2007. The product of the national average of 0.284 tonnes/person/year of fuel wood consumption and number of inhabitants of 24,051,418 (2006 census projected to 2014) gave an estimated consumption of 6,830,603 tonnes/person/year for the six North-Eastern States. However, there are threats to the sustenance of ecosystem services, some of which include urbanization, progressive industrialization, overgrazing, exploitation of natural resources, depletion of wetlands, watersheds and insurgencies which have drastically reduced production of and accessibility to ecosystem services. These threats can be mitigated through development of framework for assessing demand and supply of these services, restoration of terrestrial and marine ecosystems through biodiversity approach, capacity building and forestry extension services to create awareness among the populace on the importance and value of ecosystem services.

Comparative Ecosystem Benefits of Common Urban Trees and Palms in South Florida

This new 2-page factsheet was written to support urban forestry Extension clientele queries for information guiding Florida HOA and property owner decisions on whether to replace hardwood trees with palms, due to palms’ compact growth habit and lower leaf-shed volume, compared to hardwood trees. Written by Marguerite Beckford and Gary W. Knox, and published by the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department.

MODAL SOSIAL KELOMPOK TANI HUTAN SANTUSO II DALAM PENGEMBANGAN KAPULAGA DI DESA SUMBERPAKEM KECAMATAN SUMBERJAMBE KABUPATEN JEMBER

This purpose of this researchis to analyza social capital based on networks, norms and trust as in the Santuso II Forest Farmers Group in cardamom development. This research uses a qualitative descriptive method. Data collection methods used are observation, interview and documentation. The key informants were the head of the group, and the supporting informants were members of farmer groups, forestry extension agents, Sumberpakem Village secretaries and Chair of the International Association of Students in Agriculture and Related Sciences at the University of Jember. Data analysis used the Miles and Huberman method with 4 stages, namely data collection, data reduction, data presentation and conclusion drawing. The results showed that networking occurs between personal, personal networks with institutions and institutional networks with institutions. The elements of norms consist of written norms and unwritten norms and beliefs that appear in the Santuso II Forest Farmer Group based on the relationship between members of the farmer group and institutions that work together with the hope that cardamom development can be positive and the existence of social interactions that enable hopes to be realized such as obligations and joint responsibility. Keywords: network, charamon, social capital, norms, trust

PERAN AGROFORESTRI KARET TERHADAP PENDAPATAN PETANI KARET DI DESA MABURAI PROVINSI KALIMANTAN SELATAN

The research location is in Maburai Village, Murung Pudak District, Tabalong Regency, South Kalimantan Province, rubber land that uses the rubber agroforestry system as the object of research. The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of rubber agroforestry in order to increase the income of rubber farmers. The method used in this study to find respondents is by using the Accidental Sampling method. Based on the results of the research that has been carried out, the role of rubber agroforestry is divided into 2 parts, namely, rubber plants for sale, and intercrops play a role for sale, self-consumption, and taken by land owners. The contribution from intercropping was only 4 people who sold the intercrops in the form of fruit, the largest income from the intercropping was Rp. 12,000,000 with a percentage of 19% of the total income of Rp. 63,200,000. There are two factors that affect the agroforestry system, namely internal factors based on farmers' experience, motivation to carry out the rubber agroforestry system, land area, number of plants other than rubber, and types of plants other than rubber, while external factors are the absence of support by rubber agro-forestry extension agencies in Maburai Village, and community leaders.

Assessment of Forestry Extension Service Delivery among Rural Farmers in Plateau State, Nigeria

This study assessed forestry extension service delivery among forest farm communities in Plateau State, Nigeria with the aim to identify the forestry extension services available to rural farmers; examine the level of farmers’ satisfaction with forestry extension service delivery and identify the perceived constraints to forestry extension service delivery in the study area. The population for this study consists of all the rural forest farm families in Plateau State. Due to the enormity of the population, a sample size of 214 respondents was selected. Multi stage sampling technique was used in the selection of sample for the study. Primary data were generated through the use of structured questionnaire and interview techniques. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics as well as likert scale. Results revealed the mean age of the farmers to be 39 years. Majority (61.0%) of the respondents were males with most (85.0%) of them married. Majority (53%) of the respondents had primary education with an average farm size of 2.5 hectares. mean household size 9 persons with majority of them (87.0%) deriving their income from agriculture. Agreater percentage (93.0%) of the respondents acquired their farmlands through inheritance. The mean annual income of the farmers was ₦ 82,742. Forestry extension services available to farmers in the study area include; information on forestry laws, awareness campaign against bush burning, distribution of horticultural seedlings, audio-visual shows, method/result demonstration, information on improved forest management practices, training on raising of seedlings, etc. Farmers expressed dissatisfaction with the level of forestry extension service delivery in the study area. The perceived constraints to forestry extension service delivery in Plateau State includes; lack of funding of extension services and inadequate number of extension agents. The study recommends increase in funding of the Agricultural Development Programmes to alleviate the problems of inadequate staff and insufficient training.

FARMER’S MOTIVATION TOWARDS AGROFORESTRY-BASED AGRICULTURE TO UTILIZE UNDERSTOREY-CROPPING SYSTEM IN BKPH PURWOREJO KPH KEDU SELATAN

Agroforestry is a land management technique to be used together with the society in the cultivation of forestry and agricultural commodities. The concept of agroforestry carried out in BKPH of Purworejo, KPH Kedu Selatan, both high economic agroforestry crops, such as rubber, coffee, cocoa, teak, mahogany, etc.; low economic agroforestry plants, such as dadap, lamtoro, kaliandra, etc.; and seasonal agroforestry plants, such as rice, corn, peanuts, and others. The land management is an important effort to improve the quality and quantity of agricultural production, which included in extensification efforts. This research aims to determine farmers' motivation in cultivating agroforestry-based agricultural commodities, to determine factors that influence motivation in cultivating agroforestry-based agricultural commodities, and to determine the effect of motivation in cultivating agroforestry-based agricultural commodities on utilizing the understorey-cropping system at BKPH Purworejo. The method used in this research was descriptive quantitative analysis method. While the data processing method used was the proportion test and regression test. The results of this research indicated that approximately less than or equal to 50% of farmers have the low motivation of farmers to cultivate agroforestry-based agricultural commodities. Factors that have a positive effect on the motivation in cultivating agroforestry-based agricultural commodities included the role of agriculture-forestry extension agents and access to the marketing of agroforestry products. While the factor that has a negative effect on the farmer’s motivation is the obligation of farmers to cooperate with Perhutani. The motivation of farmers in cultivating agroforestry-based agricultural commodities has a positive effect on utilizing the understorey-cropping system at BKPH Purworejo, KPH Kedu Selatan.

PERAN HUTAN TANAMAN RAKYAT DALAM MENINGKATKAN PENDAPATAN DI KESATUAN PENGELOLAAN HUTAN UNIT XIV GEDONG WANI

Community Plantation Forests (CPF) have a very important role in increasing the income for people around the forest. This study aims to see the role of community plantations is in increasing the farmer’s income using Agrosilvopastura cropping pattern. Data collection used observation techniques, interviews, and literature studies. The sampling method used proportional simple random with the number of respondents as many as 90 farmers. Data analysis used income analysis. The results showed that the role of HTR was very influential for the income of farmers 66,25%, compared non CPT (33,75%) with an income value of Rp 2,258,050,000/KK/year or Rp 8,755,863/KK/month using the agrosilvopastura cropping pattern, which was a combination of various agricultural crops (64,20%), forestry (1,36%), and farm (0,69%). Training for farmers and forestry extension workers needs to be carried out to support activities to be more effective and extension workers need to take a more intensive approach to farmers so they can provide solutions and alternative solutions to problems in management.

KINERJA PENYULUH PERTANIAN DALAM PENGEMBANGAN SUMBERDAYA MANUSIA PETANI DI DESA TOUNELET KECAMATAN SONDER

The purpose of this study is to describe the Performance of Agricultural Extension in the Development of Farmer Human Resources. This research was conducted in Tounelet Village, Sonder District, Minahasa District for 3 (three) months conducted in April to June 2018. Primary data was obtained directly from interviews with farmers, extension agents, agriculture, fisheries and forestry (BP3K) sub-districts of Sonder using questionnaires. Secondary data was obtained from the local government and the Sonder District Agricultural, Fisheries and Forestry Extension Agency (BP3K), there were books available at local bookstores and the internet through the Google search engine, Google Scholar to access scientific journal articles and thesis related to the topic of this research as well as various information about the performance of extension agents for the development of farmers' human resources and assessment of the performance of extension agents. The results showed that the performance value of agricultural extension agents, according to the criteria of Ruky (2001), reached 517, which meant that the performance of extension agents was sufficient.*erprm*