7 Agricultural Problems in Indonesia and Their Solutions

20 February 2023

Is it necessary to know about agricultural problems in Indonesia and their solutions? As an agricultural country, Indonesia has a lot of rice fields which later become one of the people's livelihoods. Not to mention the support of hot and rainy weather conditions as well as a tropical climate which increasingly makes the soil in Indonesia suitable for many types of plants.

Despite the great opportunities it has, unfortunately, this country still needs to maximize the profit opportunities in the agricultural sector because a lot of negative stigma arises. One is the assumption that being a farmer will face many agricultural problems.

Is that right? Let's understand various agricultural problems in Indonesia and the solutions together to see how likely the issues that arise are. Here's more information.

Agricultural Problems in Indonesia and Their Solutions

In recent years, the Central Bureau of Statistics presented data on Indonesia's capacity to produce more than 30 tons of rice. Through this large amount of production, why has Indonesia still not become the largest rice-producing country?

Of course, the answer is that several mushrooming agricultural problems always appear yearly. To better understand it, here is a complete review of agricultural issues in Indonesia and their solutions.

1. The Crisis of the Generation of Young Farmers

The first and most visible problem today is the lack of interest of the younger generation to enter the agricultural sector. On average, currently, 61% of farmers are over 45 years old. In practice, you will probably see more parents working on rice fields.

Experienced farmers of older ages can produce tens of tons of superior-quality crops and meet the wider community's needs.

Imagine if the younger generation took part in managing agricultural land with more qualified knowledge. Of course, this would affect the supply of demand for more extensive and better quality crops. What's the solution? The most appropriate thing is to realize the importance of the nation's food security through agricultural products.

The choice to become a young farmer certainly needs to start from the intention and desire in the heart first. Apart from that, the existence of an agricultural modernization program is also a brilliant idea to change the image of agriculture into a business attractive to all ages.

2. Understood

Talking about agricultural issues, you cannot forget the stigma of agriculture in the eyes of the wider community. Most think that this sector does not generate any profit, and is dirty, to the point that they feel disgusted because they have to deal with wet soil and fertilizer. Many also think that farmers only work hoeing and observing.

The people's view of farmers exists because of the attached image of farmers as jobs that are only carried out by the lower middle class. Few farmers own large tracts of land with large and profitable crops.

3. The Sales System is Sometimes Harmful to Farmers

The thing that is quite a big problem for farmers is the sales system which sometimes harms farmers but benefits distributors even though most of the agricultural products are cared for and harvested by farmers with various risks such as plant disease outbreaks, weather, and many more.

This is what increasingly encourages many people not to choose jobs as farmers. Therefore, it is necessary to cut the sales system chain, which lowers the price of the harvest. Start by selling them at a reasonable price and at a reasonable total profit. So no more parties will be harmed because all of them have an almost equal share of profits.

4. Difficult Business Capital

In agriculture, not only the availability of land is needed, but also seeds, fertilizers, agricultural tools, and much more. Not all farmers have sufficient capital to cover all their agricultural needs.

However, it is not easy. It is even more difficult for farmers to get business capital assistance because farming cannot provide certainty of income and depends on weather conditions. So most creditors tend to refuse to give their funds to the farmers.

5. Lack of Accuracy in Cultivation Techniques

It cannot be denied that many farmers in Indonesia are cultivating agricultural land based on their instincts and experience alone. It's alright, it's just that this will be better if the agricultural sector is managed with qualified knowledge and the provision of a broader understanding of agriculture.

For example, you need to know the portion of fertilizer that follows a definite number and exact ratio. This also applies to the selection of seeds. To produce quality agricultural products, of course, seeds are needed. It is highly recommended to choose certified seeds.

The right solution regarding the inaccuracy of this agricultural cultivation technique is to carry out an introductory program and information about agricultural techniques to increase the knowledge of farmers who previously needed to learn more about various procedures. Recently, this program has been known to have been running even though it has yet to reach all regions.

6. Land Function Change

The small income received by farmers but followed by an increase in the cost of daily living, makes many farmers prefer to sell their fields. Generally, rice fields that are sold will be converted into buildings which can be houses, shop houses, buildings or other structures.

Having manageable productivity with land getting narrower and narrower causes farming actors' economies to dwindle. This certainly affects the amount of harvest that is obtained because if, in general, farmers can produce large quantities of their crop products, the narrowing of land makes the yields smaller.

7. Drought

Because it's not only crop yields of poor quality or crop failure, agricultural land will also have an impact. As previously mentioned, the weather most affects the general problems in the agricultural sector. During the rainy season, the ample supply of incoming water can cause several plants to die and become unfit for harvest.

It's the same when drought comes and causes drought. Most of the people's staple foods currently require an adequate supply of water so that they can be harvested and resold. If drought occurs, it is a sign that the crop will fail.

Who will be at a disadvantage? It turns out that farmers and the general public will find it increasingly difficult to obtain food at normal prices. When drought occurs in paddy fields, the most appropriate solution is pumping.

Read also: 5 Ways to Tackle Agricultural Land Drought

Pumping is irrigating agricultural land using a pump to suck up water from the river or the nearest spring and channel it into the fields. For the pumping process to go well, you must ensure that the pump used is high quality, such as Honda Power.

Irrigation water pumps from Honda Power can adjust to your needs. Even more impressive is that all Honda Power water pumps are designed with exclusive and advanced technology, reliable features and exquisite details.

Read also: 5 Best Models of Honda Water Pump for Irrigation

After getting to know various agricultural problems in Indonesia and their solutions, are you interested in starting to help develop agricultural systems and techniques in Indonesia? It's okay to start small, such as sharing your knowledge and remembering to equip agricultural equipment with a Honda Power water pump.

What are you waiting for? Visit Honda Power Products right now and fulfill your rice field irrigation needs or work with quality water pumps and various water volume options.

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