Agriculture and Environment: Rubber

Introduction

At this time, most of the better management practices focus on increasing the productivity and life of existing rubber plantations.

Several methods have been developed to maintain or increase soil quality. These include terracing steep hillsides, contouring on slopes, constructing bunds (earthen embankments constructed to reduce erosion), and installing silt pits.

In addition, the use of ground cover, cover crops, and intercropping can all reduce soil erosion on rubber plantations, increase productivity, and reduce the need for costly inputs. Most of the improvements to processing and wastewater management take place off farm and are more likely to occur when they are regulated by law.

If standard end-of-the-pipe treatment measures are in place, effluents are not a problem. It is doubtful, however, that such treatments are common in processing plants in any of the less-developed countries that are the primary producers of natural rubber.

At best, the effluent can be captured and put back onto the rubber plantations. This will reduce the pollution of freshwater ecosystems and thus reduce the damage to freshwater biodiversity. In general, processors find that they use fewer chemical inputs and water when they are required to ensure cleaner effluent. In the end, this saves them money.