Local Knowledge in the Utilization of Sugar Palm Trees by the Community at the Slopes of Mount Ungaran

Abstract

People in Medono use the environment around them as agricultural land and plantations. The land on the slopes of Mount Ungaran is not very fertile and experiences low rainfall. Cultivation for food agriculture is carried out with dryland farming systems without an adequate irrigation system. As a result, the yields are not optimal. Plantation land on a slope between 30o-50o is used for coffee and sugar palm plants. Sugar palm (Arengan pinnata) trees in Medono grow naturally without a cultivation process. Although not planted intentionally, the sugar palm tree is one of the most common trees in Medono. This tree is used by the Medono community to be processed into sugar. This paper aims to identify local knowledge of using palm trees to adapt to the environmental conditions around them. This study uses a qualitative approach, and data collection was carried out through observation and interviews. The results showed that in the utilization of palm trees, there is local wisdom in sugar processing, and it has implications for social relations in its utilization.