NATIONAL Awareness of Farmers' Weaknesses to Achieve Community Food Independence

NATIONAL Awareness of Farmers' Weaknesses to Achieve Community Food Independence

 

by: Zaedun, S.Sos

 

1       Introduction.

The Indonesian nation within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, which consists of various tribes, religions, races, groups, customs, and diverse livelihoods spread across a region characterized by an archipelago, must always build national vigilance.[1]    In response to developments in the era of globalization which is full of dynamic, multi-complex challenges that affect all aspects of life, a vigilant attitude as part of the national security system needs to be continuously implemented.    

Relevant national vigilance is dynamic and anticipatory, addressing various potential threats from the earliest signs. Vigilance is necessary for every potential threat, whether local, national, or international, in various areas of national and social life, with early detection to ensure efforts to achieve national goals are not disrupted. Therefore, dynamic anticipation of changes in the strategic environment is a crucial effort in realizing national vigilance.

Observing the implementation of national vigilance which conceptually includes three main elements, namely state sovereignty, national integrity, and national development security, the issue of food needs is a strategic variable in national development that requires serious thought and can be realized in order to overcome the food crisis that continues to plague people's lives.    

At the macro level, food security is linked to economic resilience and national stability, which require ongoing efforts to address. Upon closer examination, this paradigm is crucial, as Indonesia continues to face persistent challenges in achieving food security. According to economists and agricultural experts, a more definitive formulation states that national food demand exceeds the growth of domestic food production. The complexity of this food problem is also related to economic and social disparities, including the large proportion of people living below the poverty line, high unemployment, and the community's weak comparative advantage in managing the agricultural sector as the basis for national food security (Budiman Hutabarat, 2009: 18).

In response to the real conditions regarding the need for food as a basic human need and the vulnerability of the community's food security level, it is necessary for all elements of society to actively participate in developing awareness in realizing food independence for the availability of food at the national, regional and household levels that is sufficient, safe, high-quality and nutritionally balanced (Triwibowo Yuwono Ed., 2011: 1-3). Efforts to realize food security are a shared responsibility between the government, the community and the private sector.

As an agricultural country with vast natural resources, Indonesia should be able to meet its food needs. However, the reality is that it still imports various food products, both primary and secondary.     

This reality, upon closer examination, raises the question of whether these problems are due to technical issues in food production, particularly farmer weaknesses, or whether they are caused by agricultural development management factors. This question is not easily answered, considering that food agriculture is a multifaceted activity, encompassing technical and management factors, government policies, social issues, and farmers as the human resources directly involved in implementing the program in the field.

Food and agricultural needs, particularly farmer empowerment, are complex issues, extending beyond planting and harvesting to encompass various aspects of life. Agriculture is linked to the nation's philosophy as an agrarian society, humanism, culture, spirituality, interaction with nature, the natural environment, and local wisdom.   

The concept and paradigm of farmer empowerment as a solution to address their weaknesses requires intelligent, precise, and implementable thinking to be effective and efficient. This is possible because food sovereignty and community food self-sufficiency are national ideals that must be fought for. They cannot be reduced to academic study, as they are an inevitability of achieving food sovereignty and complete national resilience.

2.       The essence of the writing.

          The crisis that struck Indonesia during the 1998 reform era, particularly in the economic and monetary sectors, was a bitter experience that remains unresolved. During this crisis, the manufacturing and financial sectors were severely burdened, even reaching their lowest point, struggling to survive and slowly recover. However, the agricultural sector proved resilient.    

 

Data compiled by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) shows that agriculture is the sector with the largest workforce absorption. Therefore, food independence and sovereignty should be continuously developed and realized in Indonesia. Considering empirical experience and expert research findings that confirm agriculture as a national strategic issue, the policies implemented should favor and empower farmers, who are able to provide land, provide appropriate and adequate technical guidance on agricultural cultivation, promote understanding of farmer social behavior, provide humane financial support, post-harvest handling, food distribution, and stabilize profitable food production prices as the necessary basic capital. 

Next is the will, good governance government, and shared awareness of the role of society needs to be realized concretely to overcome the weaknesses of farmers as the main actors in the field (Hetifah Sj. Sumarto, 2009: 1-6).     Good governance Here, it is defined as the mechanisms, practices, and procedures by which the government and farmers manage human resources and solve agricultural problems. With moral integrity, professionalism, and the empowerment of all pro-farmer components of the nation, the motto "no nation can survive without agriculture" should be realized.

a.       The Role of National Vigilance in Meeting Community Food Needs.

National Vigilance is an attitude in relation to nationalism that is built from a sense of care and responsibility as well as the attention of citizens towards the survival of society, nation and state from potential threats that are generally difficult to predict and come suddenly.   

In the context of security, National Vigilance can be interpreted as a quality of readiness and alertness of the Indonesian nation to be able to detect, anticipate early and take preventive action against every potential threat as well as a manifestation of the nation's concern and sense of responsibility towards the sovereignty and integrity of the Republic of Indonesia.

In the New Order era, threats were defined as potential or conditions from outside and from within that contained danger and were conceptual in nature, both closed and open, which aimed to change Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution and thwart national development, which required action to resolve and could awaken one's own abilities.   

During the reform era of 1998, the Indonesian nation was living in a period of transition. Initial changes were marked by the agenda of reform, democratization, and post-crisis reconstruction of Indonesia. However, what resulted instead was disorientation, conflict in various regions, demoralization, apathy, hedonism, anger, hatred, and the degradation of nationalism. This situation resulted in social, national, and state life appearing increasingly disoriented in achieving national goals.[2]

In the context of the nation's ideology and philosophy of life, post-reform, the noble values ​​of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution have been distorted in their implementation, resulting in economic and political crises, deviant and undemocratic rules of life. The national situation faces the threat of imposition of will and the justification of any means that threaten national integration.     

In this regard, the Indonesian nation needs to conduct national introspection and implement national vigilance measures, namely positioning itself as a sovereign and dignified nation, adhering to national interests, and fostering national solidarity within the framework of the national community using the Archipelago Insight and National Resilience approaches. Based on this, what needs to be done is to build national vigilance and implement significant and sustainable changes for the national interest.

 

5

Examining historical experience from various perspectives, the identification of projected threats remains focused on protecting the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and creating a sustainable national and state order supported by an honest, just, transparent, and accountable government. This continued national and state life is crucial because Indonesia's national integration experiences ups and downs, with threats and challenges that can lead to disintegration.   

This situation must be monitored closely because nationalism plays a crucial role in strengthening integration. The actualization and revitalization of intrinsic values ​​and the appropriate definition of nationalism today are to eradicate poverty, backwardness, and ignorance in Indonesia, thereby improving the standard of living of the people, enabling them to develop their potential. survive, competitiveness and national resilience.

In response to the national situation which is still currently experiencing an economic and social crisis that has not yet been resolved, food security is a strategic issue that needs to be considered, formulated and empowered, because it is not only related to economic and social aspects, but also has very large political consequences. 

It's difficult to predict what will happen if Indonesia, with its archipelagic geography and heterogeneous demographics, is threatened by food shortages, including the continuation of the second United Indonesia Cabinet. Given the importance of this issue, food security is often used as a political tool by presidents in many countries to gain public support.

For Indonesia, food security is a crucial issue, as it is now a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Implementation requires the government to ensure the continuity of domestic food production to ensure food security (Tulus Tambunan, 2011: 174). This means that farmer empowerment must be increased to achieve community food self-sufficiency.   

Meanwhile, Indonesia cannot protect and hinder the rapid flow of food imports from abroad, especially with the implementation of a free trade system. Faced with these complex developments and dynamics, if Indonesia is unprepared, WTO membership will be discussed at the annual meeting. Furthermore, the most risky impact for Indonesia is becoming overly dependent on food imports. If this situation cannot be addressed, it will clearly threaten domestic food security.

b.       Agricultural Development Paradigm.

Food security is a strategic issue in national development, serving a dual role as a primary development target and a key instrument of economic development. In the context of development, the first role is food security, a prerequisite for ensuring access to food for the entire population in sufficient quantity and quality for survival, leading to health and productivity. Access to "sufficient" food is a basic human right that must always be guaranteed by the state, in collaboration with the community.

By de yure The role of food security has been recognized in Indonesia and continues to be empowered as outlined in Law Number 7 of 1976 concerning Food. The second role is an implication of the function of food security as a necessary condition in the development of creative and productive farmer human resources, which is the main determinant of scientific, technological and labor innovation that is applied appropriately and integratedly and the function of food security as a determining factor for a stable and conducive economic environment for development (Pantjar Situmorang, 2009: 1-2; and Triwibowo Yuwono, et al., 2011: 1).  

Given the critical importance of these issues, it is perfectly rational and reasonable for Indonesia to make strengthening national food security a top development priority. The essence of food security policy to date is evident in the government's active involvement in directing, stimulating, and empowering relevant agricultural sectors, thereby establishing a resilient and sustainable national food security system.

Over time, the food security paradigm has been accepted as a dynamic concept whose meaning is continually being adjusted, through a process of synthesis based on the accumulation of increasing contemporary knowledge and adaptation to environmental changes. This is based on problem identification conducted by agricultural and socioeconomic experts, with active government involvement, reinforced by the legal basis of Law Number 6 of 1997.

In the effort to empower farmers as producers, in its development, adequate access to food is formulated in a concept called the "food security trilogy", namely (1) availability of food ingredients (food availability); (2) access to food (food access) and; (3) utilization of food materials (food utilization). Furthermore, in its implementation, food security has the meaning of fulfilling food in sufficient quantity and quality, which is safe, evenly distributed and affordable.   

In the era of globalization which is characterized by the development of free trade and efforts to protect producers, consumers and the importance of public welfare, food availability can come from domestic production and/or imports, while food independence relies on local production by empowering the role of farmers and paying attention to social systems, culture and local wisdom (Pancar Situmorang, Location quote.,9 ; Triwibowo Yuwono, Location quote., 15).  

c.       Food Security and Government Policy in Agricultural Development.

The concept of national food security as stated in Law Number 7 of 1996 concerning Food, Article 1 paragraph 17 which states "Food security is a condition of household (RT) food security which is reflected in the availability of sufficient food, both in quantity and quality, safe, evenly distributed and affordable" emphasizes the access of each RT to food availability. Faced with the real situation in the field, in communities spread across the islands, the concept of food security is increasingly complex and difficult to find a solution because the population growth rate remains high every year, while the land available for agricultural activities is increasingly limited.    

As a result, food crises can occur due to limited supplies or other factors such as natural disasters, conflict, distribution constraints, and low production quality. Therefore, high vigilance and rapid response are essential in the event of food insecurity, especially in remote areas. Given the complexity of these issues, many aspects must be considered and addressed in empowering farmers to achieve food security.

With Indonesia's population growth rate averaging around 1,6% per year, national rice demand is expected to remain high. This population growth and rice demand will require a significant increase in food supply. If domestic production cannot meet this demand, Indonesia will increase its dependence on food imports, potentially leading to a food crisis (shortage).   

In response to the complexities of agricultural issues related to production and consumption, government policy is defined as an intervention in agricultural development. Its implementation involves making gradual, planned changes aimed at increasing agricultural production in both quantity and quality to meet the population's consumption needs and improving farmers' welfare through increased farm productivity and the application of agricultural technology (Tulus Tambunan, Location quote., 175; Tati Nurmala, et al., 2012: 151-153, 166).

The phenomenon of the population's increasing need for food cannot be separated from the role of agriculture in the lives of all Indonesians and the nation. Therefore, awareness is needed to support farmers and advocate for improving the welfare of rural communities.  

In political terminology, this awareness eventually developed into the Revitalization of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (RPPK) program with the aim of improving people's welfare, the quality of life of farmers and farming households, increasing farmers' access to productive resources and capital, and developing agricultural and rural infrastructure.

Agricultural revitalization represents an awareness of the importance of RPPK (Regional Development Plan) proportionally and contextually. Proportionally, agriculture is crucial for meeting the needs of life and plays a role in community welfare. However, it is recognized that food supply is also synergistic, interdependent, and requires the role of industry and services, such as post-harvest processing, distribution, and storage. Contextually, it is in line with the development of an increasingly advanced society and the face of intense competition in this era of globalization. With this understanding, agricultural revitalization can serve as a strategy and tool to improve farmer welfare and reduce poverty, create new businesses and jobs, build food security, increase economic competitiveness, preserve the environment, and develop regions (Op. cite., 167-170).

d.       Farmer Empowerment.

Food security is a fundamental right and an obligation that must be fulfilled. Economically, agricultural empowerment is a concrete step towards eliminating food insecurity and poverty, and reducing unemployment. In the context of domestic trade, agriculture also makes a significant contribution to food distribution and strengthening inter-regional relations. In a political context where sovereignty rests with the people and democracy is a cornerstone of the ideology, farmers' votes are the cumulative outcome of elections. This indicates that farmers should be the holders of sovereignty, with the largest representation in parliament.

If farmers have a strong political position, then national food sovereignty does not have to depend on imported food supplies from other countries. Considering the important role of agriculture, to build motivation, creativity and concrete efforts to empower agriculture are needed: (1) enthusiasm based on the belief that Indonesia can become a strong, food-secure, prosperous and respected country by relying on agriculture as the main basis of the economy; then, (2) building an agricultural paradigm with three development focuses, namely empowering farmers, increasing the competitiveness of agricultural products, and environmental conservation. In order to meet consumer needs, increasing product competitiveness is a necessity that cannot be negotiated because the intensity of competition will continue to increase. To overcome competition, a systematic approach is needed in the form of efficiency, productivity, quality and accuracy of service.

Farmer empowerment needs to be interpreted as an effort to improve the internal capabilities of farmers, while simultaneously opening access and opportunities to obtain support for productive resources to develop prosperous businesses. As appropriate steps that need to be taken immediately: (1) agricultural extension and development as an operational agenda; (2) research and development; (3) access to follow-up activities, especially agro-industry and agro-services that have better incentives and open up job opportunities; (4) the role of financing institutions through healthy agricultural cooperatives to realize products that suit the character of farmers; (5) increasing product competitiveness; (6) technology support, distribution, storage; (7) environmental preservation; (8) prevention of land conversion; (9) synergy with industrialization strategies, and (10) policies outside agriculture (Tati Nurmala, Op. cite., 189-192).

e.       Challenges and Opportunities in Achieving Community Food Independence.

The agricultural sector in Indonesia actually plays a significant role because it is the primary source of livelihood for the majority of the population. In light of the ongoing economic and monetary crisis that hit Indonesia in 1998, it was realized that agriculture's contribution was declining. This decline was a result of the success of development in the industrial sector and other economic sectors, which continued to experience increasing growth. However, despite the decline in the agricultural sector's contribution to Gross Domestic Product, it continues to significantly absorb the largest workforce, particularly in rural areas. 

According to statistical data, the absorption of agricultural labor in 1985 reached 34.141.000 people, in 1990 it became 35.450.000 and in 2000 it increased to 40.677.000 people (www.bps.go.id). The increase in the absorption proportion is evidence that the agricultural sector is the main source of livelihood for the majority of rural residents, employment for farm laborers and small-land farmers, food producers especially for urban residents who work in factories, services and trade. At a macro level, the role of the agricultural sector, especially rice production, is as a food producer, a tool to maintain the stability of the people's economy, government stability and a tool to maintain national resilience (Tati Nurmala, Location quote., 96-99).

Regarding the status of agricultural land ownership according to the Basic Agrarian Law Number 5 of 1960, Article 16 paragraph 1, land rights are divided into nine, namely ownership rights, cultivation rights, building rights, usage rights, rental rights, land clearing and forestry rights, mortgage rights, cultivation rights, and customary rights. Regarding the availability of agricultural land, based on the social principles of farmers, every action should be carried out using a strategy. minimax, namely minimizing costs (cost) and maximize production results to obtain the greatest possible profits.  

Furthermore, in the economic context, in order for agriculture to be successful and not experience failure, farmers need to be active in farmer groups that hold regular meetings, provide agricultural facilities, seeding, control pests and plant diseases, savings and loans, post-harvest handling, and distribution.

The development of the farmer group, both in terms of quantity and quality, refers to the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture Number 273 of 2007 concerning Guidelines for the Development of Farmer Institutions which is directed at the implementation of an agribusiness system, increasing and the role of farmers, as well as other members of rural communities, by fostering cooperation between farmers. With the development of this farmer group, it is hoped that it can explore potential, solve problems, empower farmer members effectively, and facilitate access to information on technology, capital, market situations, the application of time management, discipline, building farmer character and other human resources (Triwibowo Yuwono, Location quote.    

In this post-reform era, to improve the social dynamics of farmers within the context of agricultural development toward food independence and increased incomes to achieve food sovereignty, farmers and farmer groups need to be empowered through intensive development based on adult education. Furthermore, given the reality that farmers are generally smallholders, empowerment efforts require business capital support, infrastructure, and awards to motivate them. Institutionally, the role of the government, banking institutions, and capital owners is crucial in motivating farmers and their groups to achieve food independence and sovereignty.

3. Closing.

National Vigilance is essentially the nation's awareness and readiness to carefully observe the problems faced nationally, whether in the form of vulnerabilities or in the form of threats, challenges, obstacles and disturbances and to be able to find open opportunities so that it can take the right, fast, correct and comprehensive stance and decisions for the integrity of the nation and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

As it develops, national vigilance is not static but dynamic, anticipating various potential threats from the very beginning. Potential threats, both local, national, and international, in various areas of national and social life must be continuously detected as early as possible to avoid disruption to efforts to achieve national goals. Therefore, dynamic anticipation of changes in the strategic environment is a crucial effort in developing national vigilance.

In response to the dynamics of multi-complex challenges that are difficult to predict and occur suddenly, various political, economic, socio-cultural, defense and security policies need to be carefully considered and formulated to be implemented by the government and all the people so that national development continues to grow and develop into a country that has sovereign and dignified national resilience.

Food availability is crucial for achieving community food security. Therefore, farmers, as the spearhead of agricultural development, need to be empowered, with knowledge and skills enhanced, and infrastructure and funding provided to accelerate agricultural production and eliminate food insecurity. 

By empowering farmers to achieve food self-sufficiency, unilateral actions that exploit power for group interests can be prevented, as farmers' independence in ensuring food security is realized. Agriculture is a key sector of life for the Indonesian people, requiring change. mind set  which includes changes in culture, mental attitudes, behavior, formal and non-formal education systematically so as to have a comparative advantage to save Indonesia.