Indonesia is the fifth largest cocoa-producing country in the world, and an increase in cocoa farming efficiency can help farmers to increase their per capita income and reduce poverty in rural areas of this country. This research evaluated the efficiency of Indonesian cocoa farms using a non-parametric approach. The results revealed that the majority of cocoa farms are operated relatively inefficiently. The average technical and allocative efficiencies (0.82 and 0.46, respectively) of these cocoa farms demonstrated that there is potential for improvement. The potential cost reductions range from 36 to 76%, with an average of 60%, if farmers practice efficiently. The technical and allocative efficiencies and cocoa farm economies are affected by the use of quality seeds, organic fertilizers, frequency of extension and training of farm managers, access to bank credit and the market, the participation of women, and the farm manager’s gender. An increase in the output would increase farmers’ income and reduce poverty in rural areas. This research suggests that the availability of extension and training provided to farmers as well as support for women farmer groups should be increased. Credit programs are also important for cocoa farmers, so policymakers should develop programs that make production credit more accessible for farmers, especially through cooperatives and banks.

Online learning is the key to the implementation of learning in the Covid 19 pandemic and the New Normal era. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the e-learning course on subjects ‘Learn and Learning’ with Moodle-based for prospective teachers in Indonesia. This research was conducted using the Berg and Gail development method. The development instruments were validated by experts, and further product development was carried out in an integrated and simultaneous manner by the Higher Education Research Consortium Team (KRUPT) from Padang State University, Malang State University, Jakarta State University, Medan State University and Surabaya State University. This product is declared valid by the Expert, both in content, design and IT. Tests were limited during the Covid 19 pandemic and data collection was carried out online. Data collected in the form of an online questionnaire to student respondents (n = 40). Based on respondent questionnaire data, this product was declared to be very suitable for online learning, reaching 3.967 which indicated the highly acceptance level. Based on this research, it was concluded that e-learning products for subjects with learning and learning subjects could be widely used in the Educational Personnel Education Institution in Indonesia.

In Indonesia, rice was produced by small-scale farmers where yields were still generally low. This was because small-scale farmers still used poor quality seeds and unbalanced fertilizers. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze the socio-economic factors that affected the adoption of quality seeds in lowland rice farming and the use of fertilizers on quality seeds. This research used a double-hurdle model to answer the objectives of research and used 329 farmings which were selected randomly in Central Sulawesi Indonesia. The results show that the gender variable only affected the use of fertilizer on quality seeds. Education, access to credit, sources of income (income diversification), access to extension, meetings with farmer groups were found to be positively correlated with the decision to adopt quality seeds in lowland rice farming and use of fertilizers to quality seeds, while the number of dependents of the household head was negatively correlated. The land area of lowland rice was positively correlated with the adoption of quality seeds in lowland rice farming but negatively correlated with the number of fertilizers used for quality seeds. Based on these findings, the role of extension workers and farmer groups was needed in disseminating quality seeds, and through credit institutions, it was necessary to provide credit facilities to rice producers (farmers) so that rice productivity could be increased.

Acetylation is a method of chemically modified starch that can be used to improve the physicochemical properties of starch. The aim of the study was to obtain the pH and concentration of acetic anhydride which gave the best effect on the physicochemical characteristics of acetylated sago starch. The study was arranged using a completely randomized design with a factorial pattern in combination with a suspension pH of 7.0; 8.0; 9.0 and 10.0 with acetic anhydride concentrations of 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% (volume/weight). The parameters of research include acetyl percent, degree of substitution (DS), water holding capacity (WHC), oil holding capacity (OHC), swelling power, solubility and degree of clarity of the paste. The results at research showed that the combination suspension pH of 8 and 15% concentration of acetic anhydride gave optimal physicochemical characteristics of acetylated sago starch. The all concentrations of acetic anhydride (3 to 15%, v/w) were acetyl percent, DS, solubility and the degree of clarity of the paste increased with the increasing. The WHC and OHC tend the decreasing with the increasing concentration of acetic anhydride. Swelling power was stable with increasing concentration of acetic anhydride.