The Resilience Effort of Indonesian Tea Smallholder Plantation by Intercropping and Agroforestry Tea Farming System

Indonesia’s tea industry heavily relies on smallholder plantations, which contribute 50% of the national tea plantation area and 40% of production. However, smallholder tea farmers face numerous challenges, including declining soil fertility, low tea process, and the impacts of climate change among them are drought and the outbreak of pests and diseases, which threaten their productivity and sustainability. Intercropping and agroforestry systems have emerged as viable strategies to enhance resilience by diversifying income sources, improving ecological sustainability and adapting to changing climatic conditions. This is happening even as many other tea farmers are choosing to convert their tea crops to other commodities considered more profitable. This study explores the implementation, benefits, and challenges of intercropping and agroforestry systems in Indonesia smallholder tea plantations. The findings reveal that these systems not only enhance biodiversity and soil health but also align with global sustainability goals such as the SDGs by fostering economic stability and environmental conservation. The intercropping and agroforestry systems involve the cultivation of vegetables, fruits, spices, and timber plants in various patterns. However, adoption remains limited to due to barriers such as inadequate resources, knowledge, and policy support. The paper concludes with recommendations to promote these practices, including policy reforms, capacity -building programs, financial incentives, and market development, to ensure a sustainable and inclusive tea agribusiness ecosystem for smallholders.