Peatland for Agriculture is More Sustainable Than Being Burned Down

Indonesia has approximately 14.9 million hectares of peatlands which equal to 80% of peatland in
South East Asia and 50% of the globally tropical peatland. Economically, peatland plays an important
role since they can be reclaimed for agriculture. Shallow peat (<100 cm) can be used for growing food
crops, several vegetables, and perennial crop. This peat has a relatively higher fertility and lower
environmental risk than deep peat. Peat is the accumulation of organic material that has been formed on
the spot and has not been transported after its formation. Where the water level is stable near the peat
surface, the remains of dead plants and mosses do not fully decompose due to the absence of, and
therefore a layer of organic material accumulates over time where litter deposition exceeds anaerobic
decomposition. Because of the higher fertility and lower enviromental risk peatland is more sustainable
for agriculture than being burned down as energy.

Peat land for agriculture is one of the way to achieve a sustainable agroecosytem. Peat land has
higher fertility, as we know that peat is the accumulation of organic material and the water level is more
stable. Besides, when we use peat land for agriculture, it has lower enviromental risk. Because when we
burn peatlands for energy purposes it will release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and worsen
climate change. Fires often occur out of control, destroying large areas and drying up land, so that it is not
useful for plantations.

Peat land for agriculture is also cost money more efficiently. At first using peat land for
agriculture seems more expensive than burning it. It cost more at the preparation of the peat land. But,
because peat land concerned in agroecosystem concept, it has a long term impact. When we burn the land
it will lowers soil nutrient levels and in the long run will damage peatlands.

Besides cost money more efficiently, peat land also developing better management plans in
agriculture. Sustainable peatland management aims to optimize the functions of peatland for the welfare
of farmers. It also control GHG emissions without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their needs. Peatland also support food production and improve food security by avoiding the negative
impacts on the natural resources especially CO2 emission for achieving sustainability. So peat land can
managing plans in agriculture by applying agroecosystem concept.

Although peat land has many benefits, there are still some farmers who prefer to burned down
their land. They assume that using peatlands without burning it, it will requires a higher cost. In fact, a
large cost is only needed at the preparation of the land. Moreover, they assume that using peatlands for
agriculture can reduce their crop yields. At first, farmers' yields will decrease, but again because of the
sustainability of the peatlands, their crop yields will increase significantly.

In conclusion, applying peat land for agriculture is more sustainable than burning it. Altough
there are some moneteral issues due to the preparation of the peat land. And economic issues for the crop
yields. To save money at the preparation, coorperation between government and supporting institution is
needed. Financial helps is needed to ease the expenditure of farmers implements peat land for agriculture.