Goto Junko, Mayrowani Henny. 2002. Potentials and constraints of banana-based farming systems: a case of an upland village in West Java. Tsukuba : JIRCAS, 77 p. (JIRCAS Working Report, 29)
Résumé : In this study, attempts were made to determine the potential of, and constraints on agricultural development for small farmers through an investigation of a participatory farming systems approach in a remote upland area in Indonesia. Sukamekar Village (Desa) in Cibinong District (Kecamatan) in Cianjur (Kabupaten) in West Java became our research site, because a banana-based farming systems trial had been organized by the Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology in Lembang. The upland area in southern Cianjur had been selected as the target for the agricultural promotion project of the Ministry of Agriculture called P2RT and SPAKU. Banana was the "superior" commodity selected for promotion. Our baseline survey of fifty-one households in 1998 revealed that, on the average, a farmer operates 0.20 ha of lowland and 0.72 ha of upland, i.e. a total of 0.92 ha. Although small in proportion, the lowland absorbed roughly half of the labor input and rice was very important for household subsistence. Because of the project, the village road was improved to enable a better market access, and villagers began shipping out farm products to the markets in large cities. Upland crops in the area included banana, corn, peanut, soybean. cassava, and chili, among which banana and chili were the main cash earners. Tree crops such as clove and tree extracts such as palm sugar also contributed to the farmers' cash income. Yet, households that could earn a sizable income from agriculture only were a minority. Non-farm income sources and remittances from family members were indispensable for a fair number of households. Farmer groups were organized and became an important vehicle for extension and subsidy distribution at first, and subsequently for further economic cooperation such as collective sales of farm products and purchase of fertilizers and chemicals. In addition to the difficulties associated with the remoteness and unfavorable soil and water conditions in the area, farmers had to cope with the rising input cost and depressed agricultural market. While individual farmers alone are too small, local farmer groups play a vital role in articulating the needs, interests, and ambitions of fellow farmers. Public attention and support are necessary not only for basic infrastructure improvement but also for organization and human resource development.
Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Java
Classification Agris : F08 - Systèmes et modes de culture
Editeurs scientifiques et affiliations
- Goto Junko
- Mayrowani Henny
Autres liens de la publication
Source : Cirad - Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/513477/)
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