Conservation and sustainable management of agrobiodiversity resources in Indonesia – the case of spice trees

Thanks to its geology and geography (over 17,000 islands in the tropics), Indonesia is home to exceptional levels of biodiversity. Indonesia is home to vast tropical rainforests. These forests are home to an astonishing variety of plant species, including trees that have been used for generations by local populations. All in all, Indonesia’s plant biodiversity is not only incredibly rich, but it plays a crucial role in sustaining ecosystems, providing resources for local communities, contributing to the country’s cultural heritage, and being the centre of diversification for species that have a prominent place on the international spice market. However, like many biodiversity-rich regions, Indonesia’s flora is threatened by deforestation, habitat destruction, climate change, and unsustainable exploitation. Conservation efforts are essential to safeguard this priceless natural heritage for future generations.

This is particularly true of spice trees such as cloves and nutmeg, which have played an important role in the country’s trade and cultural exchanges with other regions throughout history. These native Indonesian agrobiodiversity resources are of major socio-economic importance to millions of farmers living in the tropics (in Indonesia, the natural range of these species, but also in various tropical countries where they have been introduced, Madagascar in particular). Despite their importance, these species are currently under-characterised scientifically, particularly in terms of the assessment of their genetic diversity, which represents a particularly significant obstacle to the implementation of conservation and sustainable management strategies. In particular, this concerns the characterisation of existing varieties, their use by local populations, the knowledge and possibilities associated with them, and their genetic diversity.

Indonesia, the area of origin of these cultivated species, is likely to present exceptional levels of genetic diversity, the safeguarding of which, based on scientific criteria yet to be characterised, is vital to ensure the survival of the species in the face of global change. Thus, characterising the spatial organisation of the genetic diversity of these species will help guide strategies for conserving their genetic resources (in situ and ex situ conservation). Furthermore, characterising the distribution of the species genetic diversity in its area of introduction, to compare it with natural populations, will help guide the introduction of new diversity resources in the areas of introduction (in a South-South collaborative framework South-South solidarity). Indeed, several facts from the history of the introduction of these trees in other regions of the world suggest that the genetic base introduced will not enable these crops to adapt to the global changes taking place.

Our project aims to develop a methodology for characterising the genetic and varietal diversity of agrobiodiversity, focusing initially on clove trees. The aim will be to characterise these diversities within the species’ area of origin in Indonesia, around the so-called Wallacea region (Celebes, Moluccan Archipelago), but also within areas of introduction in Indonesia and other tropical regions (particularly Madagascar).