'Women's Dependency Rate on the Kerinci Seblat National Park Area in Fulfilling Their Basic Needs

Abstract

Kerinci Seblat National Park experienced an encroachment rate during 1990-2014 of 2,737 ha/year or 52.6% of the highest encroachment area in the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatera. Dependence on forests is done to meet basic needs such as food and animal feed. A study was required to determine the level of women's dependence on Kerinci Seblat National Park through the fulfillment of basic needs. The data collection methods used were a literature study, field observation, and an in-depth interview. Ranking the level of dependence of women in the Kerinci Seblat National Park conservation area through the fulfillment of basic needs based on the Indonesian High Conservation Value Toolkit Revision Consortium (2008). The existing land in Pal VIII Village is mainly agricultural land, namely coffee plantations. The research results through in-depth interviews showed that women in Pal VIII Village fulfill their needs for food, energy sources, and medicines, many of which are obtained from outside the area. Cultivation was carried out on their private land and utilized in their yard. Women's use of forest resources in the area was low because women met their basic needs from outside the Kerinci Seblat area. The characteristics of fulfilling women's basic needs were mostly met in several ways, namely cultivation, buying, and taking from private gardens. Thus, the level of dependence of Pal VIII Village women to fulfill their basic needs in the Kerinci Seblat National Park area was low.