Government Program and Farmers Challenges

Oct 13, 2025 by windailys.com 42 views

Introduction

Rice is a staple food for most Indonesian people, accounting for 96% of the country's food needs. As a result, rice is a dominant strategic commodity in the Indonesian economy. To improve the welfare of farmers, it is essential to analyze the food crop agricultural business system, particularly rice fields. This study aims to investigate the factors affecting the income of lowland rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency.

Background

The study area, Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency, is a significant rice-producing region in Indonesia. The district's rice farmers face various challenges, including limited access to land, high production costs, and fluctuating prices of harvested dry grain (GKP). These factors can significantly impact the income of rice farmers. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the key factors affecting the income of lowland rice farmers in this region.

Methodology

This study employed a descriptive research method with multiple linear regression analysis using SPSS 16. A questionnaire was distributed to 30 farmers, consisting of 10 farmers with an area of more than 1 hectare and 20 farmers with an area of less than 1 hectare of land. The data collected were analyzed to determine the effect of land area, production costs, and GKP prices on the income of lowland rice farmers.

Results

The results of the study showed that land area, production costs, and GKP prices significantly affect the income of paddy rice farmers. The study also found that the production of lowland rice in the study area had an average of 8 tons per hectare.

Deeper Analysis

Land Area

The results of the study show that the land area has a significant positive correlation with farmers' income. The more the area of land, the greater the potential for production and income. This shows that adequate access to land is an important factor in increasing farmers' income.

Production Costs

Research shows that production costs have a negative correlation with farmers' income. The higher the production costs, the lower the farmer's income. This factor needs to be considered, because high production costs can erode farmers' profits and hamper income growth.

Price of Dry Grain Harvest (GKP)

The price of GKP has a strong positive correlation with farmers' income. The higher the GKP price, the higher the farmer's income. GKP price fluctuations are an important factor that needs to be anticipated by farmers in managing production and sales strategies.

Government Program and Farmers Challenges

This study also found that the government had run several programs to increase rice farming businesses, such as fertilizer subsidies, seed assistance programs, and training programs for farmers. However, some challenges are still faced by farmers, including:

Access to Quality Fertilizers and Seeds

Sometimes, farmers have difficulty getting quality fertilizer and seeds at affordable prices, which can affect the harvest and income.

Limited Access to Technology

The use of appropriate technology can increase efficiency and productivity, but not all farmers have access to these technology.

Climate Change

Climate change causes the uncertainty of the planting season, which has the potential to reduce farmers' harvests and income.

Farmer Strategy

To face these challenges, farmers have implemented several strategies:

Cooperation with Farmers Groups

Cooperation in farmer groups allows farmers to gain easier access to fertilizer, seeds, and technology.

Looking for Market Information

Farmers try to find market information to get a better selling price.

Applying the Right Planting System

Farmers learn and apply more effective and efficient planting systems to improve crop yields.

Conclusion

This study provides a better understanding of the factors that affect the income of lowland rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency. The results showed that the area of land, production costs, and GKP prices had a significant effect on farmers' incomes. This study also identified several government programs and challenges faced by farmers, as well as the strategies they used to overcome these challenges.

Suggestion

Increasing access to land, fertilizer, and quality seeds, and technology can be the focus of government policies to support lowland rice farmers.
Training and assistance programs for farmers need to be strengthened to increase farmers' knowledge and skills in facing challenges and taking advantage of existing opportunities.
The government needs to intervene in prices to stabilize GKP prices and protect farmers' incomes.
Cooperation between farmers, the government, and related institutions can be a key in building a more sustainable rice farm system and improving the welfare of farmers.

Limitation

This study has several limitations, including:

The sample size was limited to 30 farmers, which may not be representative of the entire population of lowland rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency.
The study only focused on the factors affecting the income of lowland rice farmers and did not consider other factors that may impact their income.

Future Research

Future research can build on this study by:

Conducting a larger-scale study to increase the sample size and representativeness of the population.
Investigating other factors that may impact the income of lowland rice farmers, such as market access, transportation costs, and government policies.
Examining the effectiveness of government programs and policies in supporting lowland rice farmers.

References

[List of references cited in the study]

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Introduction

The study on factors affecting the revenue of rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency has generated significant interest among stakeholders, including farmers, policymakers, and researchers. To address the queries and concerns of these stakeholders, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and their corresponding answers.

Q&A

Q1: What are the main factors affecting the revenue of rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency?

A1: The main factors affecting the revenue of rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency are land area, production costs, and price of harvested dry grain (GKP).

Q2: How does land area impact the revenue of rice farmers?

A2: The study found that land area has a significant positive correlation with farmers' income. The more the area of land, the greater the potential for production and income.

Q3: What is the impact of production costs on the revenue of rice farmers?

A3: The study found that production costs have a negative correlation with farmers' income. The higher the production costs, the lower the farmer's income.

Q4: How does the price of harvested dry grain (GKP) impact the revenue of rice farmers?

A4: The study found that the price of GKP has a strong positive correlation with farmers' income. The higher the GKP price, the higher the farmer's income.

Q5: What are the challenges faced by rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency?

A5: The study found that rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency face challenges such as limited access to quality fertilizers and seeds, limited access to technology, and climate change.

Q6: What strategies do rice farmers use to overcome these challenges?

A6: The study found that rice farmers use strategies such as cooperation with farmers groups, looking for market information, and applying the right planting system to overcome these challenges.

Q7: What role can the government play in supporting rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency?

A7: The government can play a crucial role in supporting rice farmers by increasing access to land, fertilizer, and quality seeds, and technology, and by intervening in prices to stabilize GKP prices and protect farmers' incomes.

Q8: What are the implications of this study for policymakers and researchers?

A8: The study has significant implications for policymakers and researchers, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to support rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency, and for further research on the factors affecting the revenue of rice farmers.

Q9: What are the limitations of this study?

A9: The study has several limitations, including a small sample size and a focus on a specific region.

Q10: What are the future research directions for this study?

A10: Future research can build on this study by conducting a larger-scale study, investigating other factors that may impact the income of rice farmers, and examining the effectiveness of government programs and policies in supporting rice farmers.

Conclusion

The FAQs on factors affecting the revenue of rice farmers in Rawang Panca Arga District, Asahan Regency provide a comprehensive overview of the key findings and implications of the study. We hope that this Q&A will be useful for stakeholders, including farmers, policymakers, and researchers, and will contribute to a better understanding of the factors affecting the revenue of rice farmers in this region.