Role of Farmer Groups and Field Agricultural Extension Officer in the Development of Organic Rice Agricultural Institutions in Boyolali Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

This research is a study that aims to analyze the role of farmer groups and field agricultural extension officer in the development of organic rice farming institutions. This study was carried out mostly in two farmer groups, namely: Pangudi Boga and Pangudi Raharjo in Dlingo Village, Mojosongo District, Boyolali Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia with a total sample of 216 organic certified national rice farmers and an internal control system chosen from 521 population with a purposive sampling method. To see the influence of the role of farmer groups and field agricultural extension officer on the production cost efficiency of organic rice farming, a stochastic frontier approach with cross section data is used, and then the data is estimated using Maximum Likelihood Estimation. The results of this study are variable of the role of farmer groups and field agricultural extension officer is the dominant variables that influence the inefficiency of production cost with a coefficient value of -0.5497. In terms of agricultural institutions, in this case the role of farmer groups and field agricultural extension officers can be seen that all respondent farmers (100%) are members of farmer groups and have become members of agricultural associations as much as 96.30%. Agricultural association institutions that are mostly followed by farmers are farmer groups, namely 91.10%. Field agricultural extension officer is also very important, proven that 95.40% are chosen and trusted by farmers as facilitators who assist farmer groups in improving their organic rice farming in the form of agricultural institutional development.

Keywords: Farmer groups, Agricultural institutions, Organic rice farming, Stochastic frontier, Boyolali

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-2-06

Publication date: January 31^st 2020