DELINEATING THE INTELLECTUAL STRUCTURE OF SOCIO ECONOMIC RUBBER FARMING RESEARCH: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

Over the past twenty years, increasing worries about rural livelihoods, market instability, and changes in land use have triggered a rise in socio-economic studies on natural rubber farming. Understanding the findings of this growing body of research is crucial. This bibliometric analysis examines 226 publications indexed in Scopus from 2006 to 2025, aiming to chart the productivity trends, thematic structure, and collaborative dynamics within this research area. To assess the evolution of research in this field, methods such as performance indicators, co-word analysis, thematic mapping, and co authorship network analysis were applied. The findings indicate a consistent growth in research output, with a notable concentration in Southeast Asia and Southwest China. Themes like studies on livelihoods and land use, especially those centred on China, have emerged as strategically important and conceptually developed topics. The collaboration analysis revealed tightly connected networks of authors and countries, primarily dominated by China, Thailand, and Indonesia, with minimal cross-regional collaboration. In short, the analysis overall highlights both the depth and fragmentation within research in this field, emphasising the necessity for more thematic integration and increased global cooperation to advance this discipline.