Land-use change and livelihood transformation in a tropical peat hydrological unit: Implications for climate-responsive peatland management

Highlights

• Forest conversion to agriculture was concentrated on shallow peatlands near settlements.
• Livelihoods shifted from forest extraction to diversified market-oriented farming.
• Landholding size was not significantly associated with household income.
• Income per hectare did not differ significantly between horticultural crops and oil palm.

Abstract

Tropical peatlands provide essential ecological, climatic, and socio-economic benefits, yet they are increasingly threatened by agricultural expansion, drainage, and recurrent fires. Indonesia, which harbors nearly half of the global tropical peatlands, has adopted Peat Hydrological Units (PHUs) as a framework for peatland management under Government Regulation No. 71/2014 and its amendment No. 57/2016. However, limited research has examined how land-use change and livelihood transformation interact within PHUs, despite their central role in peatland governance. This study investigated land-use change between 1990 and 2020 and associated livelihood transformation in the Sungai Mempawah-Sungai Duri PHU, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, using remote sensing analysis, household surveys, and a focused group discussion. Results showed that forest conversion peaked between 2011 and 2020, resulting in the loss of approximately 4300 ha of forest, primarily in shallow peatlands near settlements. Over the same period, livelihoods progressively transitioned from forest extraction and logging toward more diversified, market-oriented systems dominated by horticultural crops and oil palm. Household income was not significantly associated with landholding size, and income per hectare did not differ significantly between horticultural crops and oil palm, indicating that agricultural expansion alone may not necessarily improve household welfare. Although several horticultural commodities generated strong economic returns, many production systems remained dependent on drainage-based cultivation practices that may compromise long-term peatland sustainability. By integrating land-use change, peat-depth zoning, crop selection, and livelihood outcomes within a hydrologically connected landscape, this study provides a socio-ecological perspective on the trade-offs between rural development and peatland conservation and contributes to provide evidence to support climate-responsive peatland governance in Indonesia.

Citation

Winarno, B., Nugraha, L. M., Iqbal, M., Adinugroho, W. C., Lestari, N. S., Zapariza, R., ... & Novita, N. (2026). Land-use change and livelihood transformation in a tropical peat hydrological unit: Implications for climate-responsive peatland management. Global Ecology and Conservation, e04320.