A traditional agroforestry of West Timor, namely Mamar, produces important ecosystem services to the people of this arid region, however, its management tends to change, thereby disrupting its sustainability. This study aims to assess the sustainability of Mamar agroforestry by analyzing the livelihood assests of the community, the biophysical land performance of the soil, and the value of ecosystem services. Furthermore, data, on perception and livelihood assets; the level of soil damage, the importance value index, and diversity index, the value of ecosystem services based on the opinion of experts and community leaders, as well as change in land use were collected in five villages in Kupang district using surveys with a qualitative and quantitative approach. The results showed a change of perspective in Mamar's management; the decrease in the important value index of cultural crops, the diversity index is classified as declining, there is soil damage in several parameters, and the value of ecosystem services does not focus on cultural services. Considering this result, there is a socio-ecological trade-off that reduces support for the sustainability of  Mamar as traditional agroforestry that emphasizes socio-cultural functions.

A subsistence culture which has moral values related to the protection of ancestral territories and the environment, must be maintained in the management of Mamar agroforestry. On the other hand, subsistence culture is often seen as a counter-modernization culture because it is not commercially oriented. This paper aims to provide an overview of the subsistence culture and its relationship to the preservation of Mamar agroforestry and the potential stresses it faces, as well as quantify the opportunities for sustaining a subsistence culture in today’s West Timorese society. The method used is literature study using Google Scholar and other relevant literature. As it is known, the demands of life necessities and lifestyles, global climate change, and government policies are the pressing factors for land conversion, including in Mamar. On the other hand, a culture of subsistence tends to maintain moral values in cultivating land that preserves nature, thereby reducing pressure for Mamar land conversion. The conclusion obtained is that a subsistence culture needs to be maintained and become a locomotive for maintaining the sustainability of development as a whole, by reducing the causes of vulnerability in society. Economic and social interests can be integrated due to compliance with strong social structures.