Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse factors affecting the use of pesticides in intensive vegetable farming in Java, Indonesia. Evaluating such factors is expected to provide appropriate policies to reduce pesticides, and eventually, mitigates the adverse impacts of pesticides on human health and the environment. Design/methodology/approach Data were compiled from a farm survey of randomly selected 240 vegetable farmers in three regions of Java in 2014. A concept of economic threshold was employed to analyse the pesticide use determinants, which were estimated using econometric models. Findings Factors leading to the increase in the application of pesticides were the number of observed insect pests, prices of vegetables, use of local varieties, and use of mixed pesticides. Conversely, factors lowering the use of pesticides were the number of observed diseases, the cost of pesticides, and area planted to vegetables. The most important factor in influencing pesticide use was farmers’ perception on the correct prediction of yield losses associated with pests and diseases. Research limitations/implications The sample for this research is somewhat low and the analysis was based on one-year data of the quantity of pesticides in a formulation. Practical implications The use of pesticides can be reduced by training farmers on crop protection practices, which provide correct information on pests and diseases. Policies related to the price of pesticides would be ineffective, as farmers still highly relied on pesticides. These findings will be useful for reducing the use of pesticides in intensive vegetable farming in Indonesia, and in tropical countries in general. Originality/value Pesticides have two opposite properties: to increase income on the one side and to cause devastation of life on the other side. Because pesticides are generally less selectively toxic than would be desired, non-targets including humans and the environment must be protected from contamination by these agrochemicals. This study found the most important determinants for reducing pesticide exposures in Indonesian intensive farming.

ABSTRAK. Penelitian ini menganalisis kinerja usahatani kedelai di Jawa Timur, dengan penekanan pada dampak pelatihan petani. Dampak dari pelatihan ini diharapkan dapat meningkatkan kinerja usahatani kedelai, yang diukur dengan peningkatan produksi dan keuntungan. Fungsi produksi dan fungsi keuntungan yang sederhana digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Data dikumpulkan dengan wawancara pribadi, yang dipandu dengan kuesioner semiterstruktur. Tiga kabupaten: Jember, Nganjuk dan Ngawi Jawa Timur terpilih sebagai lokasi penelitian. Lokasi ini adalah daerah produksi kedelai di Jawa Timur. Usahatani yang dijalankan selama 2010 terpilih sebagai objek kajian ini. Pendekatan regresi-berganda digunakan untuk memperkirakan fungsi produksi dan keuntungan yang dibangun. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa pelatihan telah berdampak positif terhadap produksi dan keuntungan dari usaha tani kedelai, demikian juga tingkat pendidikan dan pengalaman. Petani yang menjalankan usahataniinya di lahan sewa menunjukkan tingkat produksi dan keuntungan yang lebih rendah. Pada akhirnya, kenaikan pendapatan petani setelah mengikuti pelatihan diharapkan meningkatkan kesejahteraan keluarga petani. PENDAHULUANProduksi pangan saat ini menjadi terbatas karena kekurangan lahan pertanian, air bersih, dan kekurangan pupuk yang bergantung pada energi fosil baik untuk produksi atau pertambangan dan pengolahan. Kekurangan sumber daya ini semakin meningkat seiring dengan pesatnya laju pertumbuhan jumlah penduduk di seluruh dunia. Kekurangan sumber daya dan tingkat keparahan kekurangan gizi yang paling serius terjadi di Afrika dan Asia dimana terjadi pertumbuhan penduduk paling besar. Masalah nyata yang dihadapi manusia untuk kelangsungan hidup dalam banyak hal, termasuk kesehatan dan penyediaan bahan pangan yang cukup. Dunia ini sedang menghadapi masalah populasi yang berlebihan, dan dampaknya sudah dirasakan di planet ini, khususnya di Asia dan Afrika (Pimentel, 2012).Kedelai merupakan salah satu komoditi pangan utama yang menyehatkan karena mengandung protein tinggi dan memiliki kandungan kolesterol yang rendah. Seiring dengan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to measure the environmental performance of intensive farming and estimate agrochemical waste in physical and monetary terms. The intensive farming provides adverse impacts including health and environmental quality associated with the use of agrochemicals. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a theory of environmental efficiency that measures how efficient the farm uses agrochemical inputs. The efficiency was estimated using a set of farm-level data of intensive farming that use agrochemicals. Data were compiled from a survey of randomly selected 240 farmers who operated intensive farming in three regions of Java in 2014. Findings The results show that the performance of intensive farming was low. This condition caused agrochemical waste leading to the externality. Taking the external costs into account resulted in the improvement in efficiency of agrochemicals. The actual level of agrochemicals was about a hundred times higher than the most efficient level. Research limitations/implications This study is beyond the exogenous external costs. There is a need for a further comprehensive study to include more exogenous external costs associated with agrochemicals to have the potential value of such costs and the most socially efficient use of agrochemicals. The long-term effects of external cost to the environment and socio-economic livelihood of the farmers and other communities are considerable. Advocating for alternatives to decrease the use of detrimental agro-inputs, in the long run, will provide sound quality of the environment. Socially, both producers and consumers get the environmental and health benefits. Practical implications To reduce the agrochemical waste that caused environmental problems, a policy should be formulated to make farming more efficient, particularly for agrochemical use. It can be done by introducing agronomic technologies and enhancing farmers’ knowledge on environmentally friendly agriculture. Originality/value Environmental efficiency is able to estimate the quantity of agrochemical waste. The waste is a kind of non-point source pollution whose source and quantity are very difficult to identify and measure. As there are many definitions and measurement of environmental performance, this concept of environmental efficiency can be one of the alternatives.

High-valued vegetable farming can increase farmers' income if the vegetables are cultivated in commercial manner. This paper analyses factors that determine farmers' intention to commercialize vegetable farming; and the effect of commercialization on farmers' income. The study used structural equation model to estimate paths affecting farmers to engage commercial farming and its impact of commercial on households' income. Household and farm characteristics, business environment, and market support were hypothesized to influence farmers to commercialize vegetable farming. Data for this study were compiled from a quantitative survey of 360 farm households located in four major vegetable producing regions of Eastern Indonesia. Results indicate that commercial vegetable farming provides economic advantage in terms of increased income. To encourage commercial vegetable farming, vegetable agribusiness terminal with all market infrastructures should be established in the potential vegetable producing regions of Indonesia. AbstrakBudidaya sayuran bernilai tinggi dapat meningkatkan pendapatan petani jika sayuran dibudidayakan secara komersial. Makalah ini menganalisis faktor-faktor yang menentukan niat petani untuk mengkomersialkan usaha tani: sayuran dan dampak komersialisasi terhadap pendapatan petani. Penelitian ini menggunakan model persamaan struktural untuk memperkirakan jalur yang mempengaruhi petani melakukan usahatani secara komersial dan dampaknya terhadap pendapatan rumah tangga petani. Karakteristik rumah tangga dan usahatani, lingkungan bisnis, dan dukungan pasar diduga mempengaruhi petani untuk mengkomersialkan usahatani sayuran. Data penelitian ini dikumpulkan dari survey kuantitatif terhadap 360 rumah tangga petani yang berada di empat daerah penghasil sayuran utama di Kawasan Timur Indonesia. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa usahatani sayuran komersial memberikan keuntungan ekonomi dalam bentuk peningkatan pendapatan. Untuk mendorong usahatani sayuran komersial, terminal agribisnis sayuran dengan semua infrastruktur pasar harus didirikan di daerah penghasil sayuran potensial di Indonesia.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the distribution channels of vegetable sectors in Indonesia, its economic impact on the performance of vegetable sales and the factors affecting marketing channels selected by producers. Design/methodology/approach The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods. A market survey was qualitatively conducted at producer, intermediary, wholesaler, hotel and food processing company as well as retailer levels. Producer survey was quantitatively conducted at the farm level, by interviewing 556 randomly selected farm households. Structural equation modelling was employed to accomplish the objectives of the study. Findings Marketing channels for vegetables in Indonesia was complex and relatively long. Farmers decided to select particular channels because of business circumstance and their knowledge. Distance and gentleman’s agreement with traders limited farmers to choose the desirable marketing channel. Marketing channels affect business performance in terms of high sales and profit. Research limitations/implications This study only pays attention to the supply side of vegetables. The effect of marketing channels also encumbers the consumers, which are beyond this study. Other studies are expected to highlight the consumer side. Originality/value This study focused on smallholder agribusiness players. This study uses two surveys as data sources: market survey and producer survey. The market survey serves as vital information to design producer surveys.