Perceptions of intercropping and the natural undergrowth in rubber plantations

Master's Thesis from the year 2017 in the subject Instructor Plans: Agriculture / Forestry / Gardening, grade: 1,7, University of Hohenheim, language: English, abstract: "Perceptions of intercropping and the natural undergrowth in rubber plantations" addresses an aspect in rubber plantation management which is largely ignored in the general discussion "the farmers" point of view. While it is undoubted that the commonly practiced clean-weeding is physically and ecologically detrimental it stays dubious why farmers still practice it despite all the opposing arguments. A commonly used explanation is the fear of snakes. But, interestingly, there is hardly any study supporting this assumption. Quite the contrary, own observations and discussions in rubber plantations of SW China suggest that snakes are not at all perceived as a noteworthy problem.This case study in Malaysia aims therefore at a better understanding of farmers¿perception and motivation to keep their plantations clean as well as to diversify it. Various directly to rubber production connected stakeholder and their perceptions are the centre of this study.