The Potential of Community Forest Development through Agroforestry Pattern of Medicinal Plants on Marginal Land in Lombok Tengah, Indonesia

Abstract Lombok Tengah Regency has community forest areas that have the potential to be developed. Current conditions show that many community forests in Lombok Tengah have been developed on marginal land and generally have not implemented intensive land management practices. Thus, land productivity has not been achieved optimally. Improving the quality of marginal land requires intensive land management practices to achieve a balance of ecological, social, and economic functions. The agroforestry pattern is an effort that can be implemented to increase the land productivity of community forests in Lombok Tengah. Agroforestry is a land management system that has great potential to be developed in community forests because it can improve ecological, social, and economic functions. However, not all farmers know the appropriate pattern to increase the productivity of their land. The study aims to determine appropriate land management patterns to be developed in community forests in Lombok Tengah. The method is a focus group discussion (FGD) with 40 farmers in Emboan, Mangkung Village, Lombok Tengah Regency. The study results showed that 78% of farmers in Emboan choose an agroforestry pattern with medicinal plants, especially rhizome types. In comparison, 22% of farmers choose to plant multi-purpose tree species (MPTS) and food crops. Ginger/ jahe ( Zingiber officinale ), galangal/ lengkuas ( Alpinia galanga ), and lemongrass/ serai ( Cymbopogon citratus ) are the most suitable medicinal plants based on biophysical and socio-economic conditions to be developed on community forest in Emboan, Mangkung Village, Lombok Tengah Regency.