The dynamic process between the change of commercial tree crops and the reclamation of tropical peatland: Case studies of Sumatran villages on the strait of Malacca

Research Project

Project/Area Number	25360009
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Area studies
Research Institution	Kochi University
Principal Investigator	Masuda Kazuya 高知大学, 教育研究部自然科学系農学部門, 准教授 (90573733)
Project Period (FY)	2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
Budget Amount *help	¥2,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥690,000) Fiscal Year 2015: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000) Fiscal Year 2014: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000) Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000)
Keywords	熱帯泥炭地 / マレー農村 / 有用樹栽培 / ビンロウジュ / スマトラ / マラッカ海峡 / 熱帯泥炭湿地 / アブラヤシ / 越境 / リアウ / マレー半島 / 開拓 / 集落形成 / 開拓史 / サゴヤシ
Outline of Final Research Achievements	Vast areas of the East coast of Sumatra consists of the tropical peatland. Its ecological condition restricted human activities, and so people used the land just in the edge of peatland. Since the end of 19th century local people have gradually reclaimed peatland to cultivate commercial tree crops, such as coconut palm, betel palm, sago palm, para-rubber, and so on, whcih had been exported to Malay Peninsula and Singapore. In this sense, the expansion of cultivating commercial tree crops has triggered the reclamation of peatland in Sumatra. This study is aimed to show the dynamic process of reclaiming peatland in the East coast of Sumatra, related to changes of commercial tree crops in socio-economic connection among production, trade, and consumption in the trans-Malacca strait area.