The Contest Between the Roles of Local Understanding and Scientific Knowledge in Cacao Cultivation

Data Processing Technique

Data from in-depth interviews, field notes and other documents were analyzed qualitatively by compiling local knowledge and scientific knowledge. Both types of knowledge are furthermore examined the pattern of contestation in the cultivation of cacao, either in the form of zero-sum game patterns, coexistence patterns and hybridization patterns. The pattern of contestation of local knowledge and scientific knowledge is examined in the aspects of cacao cultivation of the people. According to Asrul aspects of cacao cultivation include: a) land preparation, b) planting and seeding materials, c) shade planting, d) determination of spacing and size of planting hole, e) planting, f) fertilization, g) pruning, h) environmental hygiene, i) pest / disease control and j) harvesting [8].

Zero Sum Game Pattern

This pattern is a form of knowledge that can only occur because the knowledge has advantages and predominates over others. Subjectivity and interest are factors that contribute to a form or pattern of knowledge embraced and becomes dominant.

Local knowledge’s has become a hereditary habit, cacao farmers undertake a slash-and-burn method when clearing land, both in primary forest or secondary forest. This is a specific local knowledge appropriate to the conditions, understanding and capabilities of farmers with limited manpower cost and time. The workforce involves only the head of the household assisted by his brother and other relatives, e.g. an adult child. They find this method almost impossible to abandon, because knowledge which supports this practice has been held for generations, and the entry of new knowledge about practices of land-clearing holds little appeal.

Government and other parties ‘intervene through counseling and assistance, disseminating knowledge of land clearance without burning which aims to avoid damage to the environment and surrounding ecosystem as well as issues of smoke production and contribution to global warming. Moreover, through the introduction of this knowledge it is expected that the growing trees are not felled because they will serve as temporary shelter before the permanent shading grows well.

Technically and economically, the suggestion of an unburned land clearance system is unacceptable to farmers, as it requires more labor, time and cost, which farmers cannot provide. Farmers still believe that the ashes of burned wood can increase soil fertility. It is this understanding which causes the opening of land by burning more to be widely practiced. Farmers usually use ash from burning to plant short-term crops such as corn, paddy fields and vegetables for additional daily living needs.

The pattern of zero sum game or dominance is also seen in the aspect of shade planting. Prior to the inclusion of guidance from extension workers or other experts, farmers planted bananas as the shade for their cacao plants. After the cacao bear fruit or produces the bananas are cut down entirely. According to farmers, the purpose of planting bananas is for an additional income not for permanent shade. While the introduction of permanent shading technology, among others, with Gliricidia sepium (gamal) is aimed to protect cacao plants from direct sunlight permanently. According to scientific knowledge, cacao requires rather cool conditions and will dry out and decrease production when exposed to 100% sun continuously. Introduction of new technology in the form of permanent shade around cacao plantation can be well received by farmers, because Gliricidia sepium is also used as a climbing pole for pepper plants that generally intercropped with cacao. In addition, at any time the shade tree can be trimmed and the wood used as household firewood. Therefore, the provision of permanent shading of gamal plants as scientific knowledge can be well received.

The overall pattern of zero sum games that took place in cacao cultivation shows that, although scientific knowledge has begun to dominate, but in some aspects farmers’ local knowledge comes to the fore. In detail the pattern of zero sum game that takes place in the cultivation of cacao is presented in the following table.

In terms of determining spacing and planting holes, farmers apply a spacing of 4 x 4 meters with the hole size is 40 x 40 cm. While introduction of knowledge from outside suggest spacing 3 x 3 meters with planting the hole size is 60 x 60 cm. For farmers this new knowledge cannot be followed because with the size of planting distance 3 x 3 m, is too close, so overlapping boughs or twigs between cacao with each other can quickly occur. In addition, the resulting fruit size is smaller and the diameter of cacao stems is also somewhat small due to nutrient competition in the soil. Likewise with the planting the hole size is 60 x 60 cm, according to farmer is too broad. For farmers, according to local knowledge, size 40 x 40 cm provides enough room for rooting cacao plants. Therefore, local knowledge still dominates on the aspect of spacing and planting holes.

With regard to pest and disease control, local knowledge of farmers involved fumigation and maintenance of red ants; this practice has been abandoned by farmers. Instead, in order to control cacao fruit borer attack, fruit rot disease and VSD (Vascular Streak Dieback), farmers adopt new knowledge submitted by the government, using chemical methods with various types of insecticides and fungicides. In terms of biological approach, ie stem crop borer control, the government advocated the use of biological agents, through the maintenance of black ant and the utilization of the bassiana beauveria fungus. This recommendation cannot be implemented on an ongoing basis, since black ant and fungus are still very difficult for the farmers to breed, so that practice still depends on government assistance. However, in general the introduction of technology from the government and other concerned parties has dominated and now replaces the local knowledge of farmers. The use of red ants in pest control on cacao crops is abandoned because it is very disturbing when harvest time. Likewise, with the way of fumigation, interfere with the growth of flowers and cacao fruits, generally cause the resulting cacao fruit is small. Thus, the dominance of scientific knowledge in the aspects of pest and disease control occurs and is well received by farmers.

Coexistence Patterns

This pattern occurs if both entities, local knowledge and scientific knowledge, respectively maintain their existence. Although local and scientific knowledge are recognized by cacao farmers but in the process will result in marginalization of one of them. This is because that particular knowledge is more developed and recognized by the local community.

One form of coexistence occurs in determining aspects of seeds and nurseries. Generally, planting materials in the form of cacao seeds taken from farmers’ gardens and neighboring gardens that are not certified. It is recognized as farmers' local knowledge. In its development there has been coexistence with scientific knowledge delivered by extension workers/counselors. Seeds from farmers' gardens should no longer be seed sources because they are not guaranteed to be free from pests and diseases, but must be taken from the seed sources that the government recommends. It is to ensure that the seeds are pest-free, disease-free and superior. Government-introduced cacao seeds, Sulawesi-1 and 2 clones are the most widely- accepted cacao seeds used in the research sites. Nevertheless, on an individual basis, due to the limitation of the seeds from the government, most of farmers still take the seeds from their own garden by choosing the fruits that are physically better than others.

In the case of nursery media, farmers have not followed the government's recommendation to use mixing of organic fertilizer and sand for nursery media. Many farmers complain that to prepare organic fertilizer and sand as a nursery media requires additional cost, energy and time. So, the use of planting media as recommended by the government still is not being implemented. Therefore, in the aspect of seeds selection and preparation of planting media, there is a pattern of coexistence between local knowledge and scientific knowledge.

The coexistence of local knowledge and scientific knowledge is also seen in cacao pruning. Treatment of pruning according to the farmer's habit is to tidy the plants that grow thick without considering the risk of damage and injury to the stem due to irregular pruning by using a machete farmers also prune at any time.

On the other hand, the government provides new knowledge through extension workers / counselors about good and correct cacao pruning procedures. The recommended trimming includes form trimming, production cuts and maintenance trimming by using a cropping tool and pruning shears. This scientific knowledge can be well received by farmers because it benefits plant growth and increases productivity. However, irregular pruning based on local knowledge continues to be done by some farmers. The reason is that the government's recommendation regarding pruning are sometimes difficult to implement during the rainy season because new shoots are fast growing, so sometimes to speed up the time of pruning, farmers carry out pruning using machetes according to their previous habit. Therefore, scientific knowledge and local knowledge in the practice of pruning still goes side by side.

In addition, the pattern of coexistence also takes place on the aspects of garden maintaining good garden health. Based on local knowledge, means that farmers clear weeds that grow wild and disrupt the growth of cacao. They are not taking into account the positive aspects of leaves and dry wood around the cacao garden. If the condition is left continuously it can be a source of pests and diseases that can lead to decreased productivity. Seeing this situation the government through counselors introduced a new knowledge in the form of a well- maintained cacao garden with the making of a ditch (rorak) and drainage around cacao plantation. Trench serves as a shelter for all existing garden litter of such as leaves, branches and cacao shells it is no longer scattered around the garden but can be a source of organic fertilizer. The recommendation of this dead-end ditch as well as drainage in cacao farms can be accepted by some farmers. Others still use the old ways because they do not have enough labour and cannot afford to make rorak. Much of their focus is on finding ways to overcome cacao borer disease and vascular streak dieback.

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Hybridization pattern is the occurrence of mixing / fusion between local knowledge and scientific knowledge so that there is a birth of new features of knowledge in contestation between narratives. Both knowledge’s in contest will provide an opportunity for the formation of a new knowledge that can be offered as a new knowledge.

Knowledge to determine the timing of planting either local knowledge of farmer or scientific knowledge introduced from the government basically the same that is carried out at the beginning of the rainy season. This is undertaken to reduce the death rate of cacao seeds when planted in the garden. In addition, planting during the rainy season can reduce watering costs and other costs. The knowledge about the practices to determine the exact time of planting cacao is in the early part of the rainy season has been implemented by cacao farmers from generation to generation (commonsense).

Hybridization of knowledge also appears in terms of fertilization. In accordance with farmer’s experience, fertilizing is undertaken by agglomerating the leaves, twigs, branches and cacao husks from around the garden, burning these and then scattering the residue around the cacao plant. Local knowledge regarding fertilization has been melding with scientific knowledge in the form of introduction of technology of the use of inorganic fertilizers i.e. nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and compound by immersed in the soil around the garden side by side with organic from the utilization of litter leaves, twigs, branches and corn husk composting in the ground at the time of making hole around the garden (rorak). Although the fertilizer used is not yet complete, but the use of inorganic fertilizer i.e. nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and compound, has been generally implemented by the farmers.

Furthermore, hybridization patterns are also seen in the practice of harvesting / picking cacao fruits. The timing of the harvest is made by visual examination of the physical signs of the fruit and based on the age of harvest which is scientific knowledge has undergone a smelting, including harvesting equipment in the form of traditional picker tools made by farmers is also used in conjunction with the use of scissors and pruning shears that are scientific knowledge. Introduction of technology advocates the use of cropping tools such as pruning shears as a substitute for a machete to pick fruit. Using both equipment scissors and machete mainly aims to ensure that the next flowering is not damaged. The use of pole shears allows for the picking of cacao fruit that is at the top and thus cannot be reached by hand. However, cacao farmers also have their own way in the practice of harvesting / picking cacao fruit by using hook to reach cacao fruit which cannot be reached by hand. Farmers maintain the use of traditional picking tools, since most farmers assume that traditional picking tools also do not damage the fruit and flower, as well as they are more easily used skillfully and they are cheap. Governmental- approved tools are used only for cutting branches of cacao, not to pick fruit, because according to many farmers it can damage the young fruit that is around the fruit to be harvested [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24]. So there was a fusion of cacao harvesting tools called harvesting knowledge hybridization.