Utilization and Cultivation of Suweg (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson in Areas around Ciremai Mount, Cimanuk Watershed Region

¹ Program of Environmental Science, Postgraduate School, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia
² Center for Environment and Sustainability Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia
³ Departement of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia

Abstract

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson which in the local language is popularly known as suweg is a plant that grows widely in Indonesia, including in rural areas around Ciremai Mountain, whose landscape is in the Cimanuk Watershed area. This study aims to examine the knowledge of the population related to the utilization and cultivation of suweg in the Ciremai Mountain area, namely in the Cipulus, Cilancang, Jagasari, and Sindangpanji Village which are administratively included in Cikijing Sub District, Majalengka Regency, West Java Province. This study uses a qualitative method. The data was collected through deep interviews purposively with people who have competence as informants, including owners of the land where the suweg grows, farmers, and public figures. Data analysis was done by crosschecking, summarizing, and synthesizing descriptively narrated. As a result of the research, residents in the four villages informed that the suweg was already at least around 1950, but its exact origin is not known. Generally, suweg is used as jaburan, a type of additional food. Especially in Sindangpanji Village, suweg is also used as fish feed. People in the four villages do not cultivate suweg intensively. Suweg is also not a commodity, but only subsistence.