Production increase of food, particularly rice, was
not in line with betterment process of farmer’s welfare. Moreover land ownership
which was relatively small, i.e., less than 0.5 ha on the average, made it
hard for farmers to live a decent life.
Muhransyeh Ahmad, Head of the Main Workshop and
Farmers’ Training Center (BBPP) Lembang, during coordinative Public Relations
Meeting In Bandung last week admitted, production and increase of food and
plantations productivity was not in parallel with farmers’ welfare. Data of the
Central Board of Statistics (BPS) mentioned that of the 80% poor people in
Indonesia 60% were farmers.
And vet BPS also noted, rice production based in
ARAM II forecast, production 2012 amounting to 68.96 million tons of dry
milled, undusted grains (GKG) an increase of 3.20 million tons (4,87%) compared
to 2011 which was only 65.75 million tons GKG. Corn production was posted at
18,915 million tons or an increase of 1.32 million tons (7.47%) compared to
2011 at 17.64 million tons of dry flakes.
However, the above production increase had not been
able to make farmers live a decent life, because 53.68% farmers owned dry soil
less than 0.5 ha and most of farmer’s land were uncertified. Their farm
management was also still based on sub-system which was traditional.
“Farmer’s profile are mostly helpless because
farmers’ land ownership is lass than 0.5 ha makes it difficult for farmers to
be rich. In spite of increased rice production, it is herd for our farmers to
live a decent life” Ahmed remarked.
Most farmers were also low educated, nearly 74% were
only elementary school educated. A condition as such made it difficult for
farmers to access capital; moreover banks interest rate a were notably high, as
seen in the realization of credit. Credit for Food and Energy Resilience (KKPE)
the interest rate was 28.1%. Credit for Energy Revitalization of Plantation (KPEN-RP)
5.7%, credit for Cattle Breeding Business (KUPS 49%) and credit for people’s
business (KUR) 16.1%.
The condition was quite dilemmatic. On the one hand
the Government was expecting farmers to be independent, on the other hand the
Government ran the policy to mobilize farmers to overcome capital problem, four
example the Development of Rural Agro Business (PUAP). To increase plantation
productivity the Government extended fertilizer and seed aid.
“This is the point that makes things dilemmatic. In
the future direct aid must be reduced. Farmers must be independent and aid must
only be temporary and must soon be eliminated. We realize that aid system was
not good for farmers’ independence” Ahmad said.
To promote farmer’s welfare, another program would
be needed to enable farmers to own more land. The program was called the
Agraria Reform. By economic scale the minimum land ownership was 5 ha. By that
area, assuming that in one harvest farmers could reap 5 tons/ha of dry unhusked
grains (GKP) the total yield would be 30 tens.
Assuming that in a year farmers
could harvest three times, farmers would get 80 tons of GKP; if price of GKP
was Rp 4,000/kg in a year farmers could earn up to Rp 360 million. “If the land
were narrow, farmers would never be rich. So it is necessary to execute a
program as the Agraria Reform to promote farmers’ welfare.” Ahmad remarked.
With Indonesia’s population
posted at 240 million, the expanse of ricefied which was only 7 – 8 million was
disheartening, because it means that if harvest was twice a year it was equal
to only around 14 million ha, yet other countries like Iran had up to 36
million ha of harvest area. “Supposedly Indonesia had total ricefield area than
20 million ha.”
Business News - November 23, 2012
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