Study of Paddy Farmers’ Livelihood in Sumber Ngepoh and Mulyoarjo Villages, Lawang Subdistrict, Malang District, Jawa Timur Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Farmers in Mulyoarjo village, as the neighbor for organic paddy farmers in Sumber Ngepoh village, are remain practicing conventional paddy farming by applying agricultural chemical inputs in their farming lands. Research has shown that organic farming is more profitable as compared to conventional farming, and livelihood assets play an important role to achieve sustainable livelihoods. This study aims to analyze the profit earned by farmers, the ownership of each livelihood asset, and assets earning profit in conventional paddy farming in Mulyoarjo village and organic paddy farming in Sumber Ngepoh village. Based on the review of litelature on sustainable livelihoods, conventional and organic farming, and economic performance, and also the review of empirical study about organic farming and sustainable livelihoods, a field survey was conducted to farmers as respondents in Sumber Ngepoh and Mulyoarjo villages. There were 32 organic paddy farmers from farmers group of Sumber Makmur 2 in Sumber Ngepoh village and 34 conventional paddy farmers from farmer group of Mulyo 1 in Mulyoarjo village who were interviewed. Analysis of the responses from respondents demonstrated that profit earned by farmers in Sumber Ngepoh village is more that by farmers in Mulyoarjo village. In addition, the results of analysis also shown that the human and natural capitals which are owned by the respondents in both villages are similar while the financial, physical and social capital which are owned by the respondents in Sumber Ngepoh village are more than owned by the respondents in Mulyoarjo village, the natural capital increases the profit while the financial capital decreases the profit gotten by the respondents in Sumber Ngepoh village and the financial capital decrease the profit while the physical capital increase their profit gotten by the respondents in Mulyoarjo village, and strategies are the similar components in the model of respondents’ sustainable livelihoods between in Mulyoarjo village and in Sumber Ngepoh village that has a correlation with profit and the similar components in the model of respondents’ sustainable livelihoods between in Mulyoarjo village and in Sumber Ngepoh village that has a correlation with profit are strategies while profit has a correlation with financial capital. This study concludes that planting organic paddy done by respondents in Sumber Ngepoh village is more profit as compared to planting conventional paddy done by respondents in Mulyoarjo village and the natural capital is the capital that increases the profit gotten by the respondents in Sumber Ngepoh village. Therefore, the proposed recommendations are the respondents in Mulyoarjo village can do the change from planting conventional paddy to planting organic paddy; the government of Malang district must assist the respondents in conversion period from planting conventional paddy to planting organic paddy; and the higher education institutions (such as universities) in Malang regency must support the respondents in conversion process from planting conventional paddy to planting organic paddy.