|
|
|
Previous
Next
|
| Indigenous Water Resource Management in the Drylands of Nusa Tengara Timor, Indonesia |
|
Reference |
| Burke, Ted : "Indigenous Water Resource Management in the Drylands of Nusa Tengara Timor, Indonesia" in SAN (Southeast Asia Sustainable Agriculture Network),July 1997 |
|
Introduction to the Institution |
| Mamars are small pockets of forests around natural springs. They also occur along permanent streams and rivers or on land irrigated by these water sources. The mamar is the hub of the village community. The villages often have their beginnings around these springs. The mamar is also a social gathering spot viz., a place to meet while caring for livestock, fetching water, washing clothes, or bathing. Some areas have also evolved to include swimming pool or for rearing fish. People develop mamars in the areas around the water source if the soil is rocky or generally not suitable for wet rice cultivation, but they are also developed to diversify farm produce, to make better use of the water resource available, to solve the shortage of labor and draft animals. Opening of mamars resulted in the reduction of paddy areas resulting to reduction in labor and time needed to tend rice crop. Thus former paddies are planted with coconut, banana and areca nut. Water is supplied to the planted areas from which a small grove is eventually formed and plants are added to the periphery |
|
Coverage of the Institution |
| Such examples of MAMAR are found in Oemau, Desa Mokdale, Kecamantan Lobalain on the island of Roti, Indonesia |
|
Rules for Management
of the Institution |
|
(a) Boundary Rules |
| SOCIAL: The mamar is used by the extended family members of the owner. But if the owner has a large block of Mamar, he may parcel it either to the members of his family or village. |
|
(b) Governance
rules |
| In Timor, a mamar often has only one owner, usually a person from a powerful family such as a local ruler or the owner of large land reserves or large herds of cattle. A mamar owner is an important member of the community. When an owner has a large block of Mamar, he will often parcel it out to members of his family or the village.
Maintenence: Starting on June 1 of each year, a maneholo (guardian) is assigned to live and work in the mamar. The maneholo is supposed to the following tasks:* Prevent theft of the trees and other products from the mamar
* Prevent entry by livestock
*repair damaged fences
*replace dead trees or those not bearing fruits
*record the produce collected and the work contributed by the users
Trespassers and the owners of livestock found within the mamar are fined. Compensation is made in the form of repairs and/or money equivalent to the estimated loss.
From June 15 to 30, the family members are required to help in the repair of the surrounding fence and with the general cleaning of the mamar
Experience has shown the villagers that a Mamar must be kept fully stocked to prevent light from penetrating the ground vegetation. As a result, the humidity is kept high and more water demanding plants are grown. Thus the mamar is able to sustain diversity of plants from which the users diversify their diets and supplement their incomes. Almost all mamars have three common species: betel vine (piper betel), areca nut (areca catechu) and coconut (cocos nucifera) |
|
(c) Resource Allocation |
| Not clear in the text
In areas that have long history of droughts, these mamar sites not only provide water for everyday use, but also food, medicine, material for weaving and manufacture of household utensils and tools and construction of fences and houses. The excess products are used for barter or offered for sale at the local markets. In this way, additional income is earned to buy things which cannot be produced from the land. Users are required to give the "maneholo" (guardian) 10 percent of their profits as a contribution to the payment of his services. The fee to the owner for the use of the land (which he parcels out to others) varies from village to village. In ROTI, it usually costs 10 percent of the harvest. A donation of 10 percent is always given to the church. When neighbourhood develop along the fringes of the mamar, the families are able to guard it and thus, a fulltime guardian might not be required in that case. |
|
Conflict Resolution Mechanism |
| Not reported |
|
Problems Faced by Institution |
| Not reported |
|
Changes in the Institution over time |
| Not reported |
|
Purpose |
| Water Management |
|
Country |
| Indonesia |
|
Region |
| Timor |
|
Date Of Publication |
| RS-8/01/98 |
|
| |
