Smart Agroforestry of Legume Tree and Functional Food Crops: Increasing The Protein Content to Support Food Security and Sustainable Livelihood

Abstract

The forestry sector plays an important role in food security through the use of forest resources. Forest land has great potential to provide both staple and alternative food. Optimizing forest land use is urgently needed to increase food security by diversifying plant species through combining multi-purpose tree species and tuber crops in smart agroforestry practices. One potential multipurpose tree species of the legume group is Falcataria moluccana, while the potential functional tuber crop is arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea). Arrowroot has high carbohydrate content and can prevent stunting in children. This research was designed to investigate the protein content of arrowroot tuber developed in agroforestry systems. A Randomized Complete Block Design was employed with three cropping patterns as the treatment by the combination of arrowroot and Falcataria moluccana (AF); arrowroot with cardamom and F. moluccana (ACF); and arrowroot monoculture (AM), with three blocks as replication. The results showed that the highest protein content found in the ACF agroforestry pattern amounted to 2.25%, followed by the monoculture and AF patterns of 1.60% and 1.30%, respectively. The agroforestry practice can increase the protein content of arrowroot tubers, by a proper combination among species, which can enhance their nutrition content as a functional food and strengthen sustainable livelihood.