Mount Merapi slopes ideal for grazing

Mount Merapi slopes ideal for grazing

Bambang Muryanto, Contributor/Yogyakarta

The morning is still very young but daily chores have already
began for people living in Kinahrejo village on the slopes of
Mountain Merapi in Sleman.

With a sickle in their right hand, bamboo ropes in their left,
and a hat or a wide handkerchief covering their head, the
villagers hurry, skillfully climbing the slope of the volcano to
cut grass to feed their dairy cows.

For many of these highlanders raising dairy cows is considered
the best way to make a living, better than growing beans or other
crops.

"Thanks to this work we are now able to send our children to
colleges and universities," a mother said while cutting the
grass.

Pringgo said she had six cows and could collect some 40 liters
of milk a day that she sold for Rp 1,350 per liter, giving her
daily earnings of Rp 54,000 or Rp 1,260,000 a month. Growing
beans she would get much less, she said.

Sleman regency's Forestry and Plantation Office empowerment
section head Harjanto said dairy cow breeding in the area had
begun between 1982 and 1983, following a government program.

Yet, a support program to grow food for the beasts was not
introduced. So although there are plenty of fields planted with
grass, demand still far outstrips supply.

According to Harjanto, ideally, a mature milker with a weight
of 400 kilograms needs one tenth of its weight, or 40 kilograms,
in grass a day.

Grass of that amount can only be harvested from fields about
400 square meters. To generate adequate profits, a farmer needs
to breed at least seven cows at the same time, meaning a single
farmer needs a 2,800 square-meter paddock.

When there is not enough grass in the feilds, the slopes of
Mt. Merapi are used to feed the cows. This explains why many
people living in the region have opposed the government's
decision to establish the Mt. Merapi National Park (TNGM),
fearing that they would no longer be allowed harvest grass there.

From generations, the slope of Mt. Merapi has been divided
into numbered of lots of fields. Each family has the "authority"
over a particular lot, ranging from 2,000 square meters each to
35,000 square meters a family. It is from these fields that
people cut the grass for their cows during the rainy
season.

When the dry season comes, however, grass is difficult to find
in this area. Some often climb further up to the volcano for
grass. In some places, the slope is cultivated with BB (Brizanta
brazillius) grass, a fast growing grass that can be harvested
every two months.

While on the hot-cloud burn areas, people usually plant a
grass locally known as kolonjono.

Harjanto believed, such a "concession" had made local people
voluntarily participate in preserving the protected forest. The
periodic cutting of the grass, he said, could as well prevent
forest fire due to dried, abandoned grass. The cutting
rejuvenated the area, he said.

Some also say the grass has the capability of holding back
erosion.

However, Yogyakarta Natural Resource Conservation Office
(BKSDA) head Kuspriyadi, however, insisted that turning the whole
surface of the slope of the volcano into grass field was not a
good practice. Trees and bush were often cleared from areas where
grass was sown, he said.

The act of cutting grass could also slow down the
rehabilitation process of the forest as small trees were also cut
down together with the grass. As the need for grass was
increasing in line with the increasing dairy herd sizes in the
region, more trees were under threat.

Head of Kaliurang Natural Resource Conservation Resort Sugiman
said the grass area had rapidly increased to 400 hectares this
year from 290 hectares last year.

"We are looking for a solution to this problem. We look
forward to discussing it with other concerned (government)
offices. We plan to manage collaboratively," Kuspriyadi said,
expressing the hope conservation of the area and improving the
people's welfare were not conflicting interests.