The Prospect of Horticultural Organic Farming as Sustainable Agricultural Practice for Reducing Poverty: The Case in Bengkulu City, Indonesia

Abstract

Poverty is still an insistent problem which when confronted by humanity requires a systemic, comprehensive and synchronized approach to alleviate it.  The concentration of urban and rural poverty in developing countries underpins the importance of agriculture as a poverty reduction strategy since most of the poor people depend on agriculture.  Thus, improving agricultural productivity, competitiveness and sustainability may reduce poverty.   This study was intended to (1) find out if sustainable agriculture, i.e., horticultural organic farming practices, could contribute to poverty reduction, (2) identify restrictive factors affecting horticulture organic farming development, and (3) formulate alternative policy intervention for poverty alleviation based on development of organic farming.   The respondents were selected using purposive sampling method, comprising of 22 self-claimed horticultural organic farmers and 22 horticultural conventional farmers.  The data were gathered through a structured-questionnaire and in-depth interview.   Descriptive statistics, prospective analyses and analytical hierarchy process were used to analyze the data.  The results showed that organic farming practices have potential to increase income of the horticultural farmers.  Factors that constrained the development of horticultural organic farming were limited knowledge of organic practices, access to market, financial and risk management services or support.  Alternative policy interventions, such as developing a linkage between producers and consumers, strengthening research and development on organic farming, enhancing dissemination knowledge of organic farming practices, and providing access to financial and agriculture management, are proposed.