Tree diversity and land use choices in agroforestry systems: co-learning through the FORCES game in Indonesia

Farmers make choices about their land-use portfolio based on their experience, incomplete information and social connections. Rather than imposing normative economic or ecological rationales for farmer choices, a participatory simulation game can lead to co-learning. We utilized a plot-level game, Farmer Options, Risks in Complex Ecological-Social system (FORCES), to explore the management of tree and crop diversity in three contrasting landscapes in Indonesia. We assessed farmer management choices, responses to socio-ecological pressures and quantified game impacts on changes in farmer discourse. We found gendered preferences for plant species and land-use practices. Most older farmers preferred tree-based system, while young farmers chose annual food crops, opting for higher income despite risks. Social, cultural, and ecological reasons played important role in decision-making alongside economic factors but depended on the local context. By clarifying consequences of farmers’ choices, a top-down and bottom-up approach can be reconciled in the search for sustainable landscape management.