Determinants of Farmers’ Behavior towards Land Conservation Practices in the Upper Citarum Watershed in West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Erosion and pollution in the Citarum River have reached a very worrying stage. To overcome this problem, the government has launched the Citarum Harum program. One of the policies synergistic with the Citarum Harum program is the application of soil and water conservation principles in farming seasonal crops in the upper Citarum watershed (UCW). Historically, policies and programs for developing pro-conservation farming in this area have been carried out for at least three decades but have not been effective. Increasing the effectiveness of policies requires the existence of suitable instruments. Therefore, it is necessary to have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the attitudes and behavior of farmers in applying soil and water conservation. This study aims to identify the factors influencing farmers’ probabilities and participation in applying soil and water conservation techniques. A double-hurdle approach is used to identify determinants of farmers’ participation and intensity in applying conservation practices. The data were collected from samples of 244 farm households’ growing seasonal crops out of 499 farm households sample in the Bandung and West Bandung Districts. The results show that the determinants of farmer participation and intensity in the application of conservation lie in the ability to finance, land tenure and utilization, and the physical condition of the land. The level of education only affects participation opportunities, even if the increment is significant. In the future, conservation priorities must be more directed at a vegetative approach through developing synergistic perennial crops with particular efforts to convert vegetables on the sloping lands to perennial crops.

Socio-Ecological Effect of Transition Landscape Dynamics from Agroforests to Monoculture Plantation in Upper Citarum Watershed

“…The phenomenal program is the "Citarum Harum" Program mandated by Presidential Regulation Number 15/2018 regarding the Citarum Watershed rehabilitation program. It is a national program to control the damage and pollution and restore the watershed (Sumaryanto et al 2022). Agrarian reform must be carried out in the UCW area to overcome inequality and low land ownership by farmers, which causes poverty.…”

Sustainable Management for Healthy and Productive Watersheds in Indonesia

“…Narendra, Siregar, Dharmawan, Sukmana, Pratiwi, Pramono, Basuki, Nugroho, Supangat, Purwanto, Setiawan, Nandini, Ulya, Arifanti, and Yuwati [4] state that community participation is the key to success in soil and water conservation practices. Several points related to the importance of community participation in soil and water conservation need to be considered: (1) the government and private community, religious, traditional, youth, female, and other figures can raise public awareness to actively participate in various programs [82]; (2) the implementation of soil and water conservation needs to be carried out based on local wisdom to ensure sustainability [83]; (3) community participation can increase with innovative programs that can improve the community's economy [84]; and (4) community capacity building is positively correlated with program sustainability [85]. In 2022, the Directorate of Soil and Water Conservation applied mechanical techniques by constructing 2985 units of soil and water conservation buildings consisting of 983 units of retaining dams and 2002 units of gully plugs, as well as vegetative techniques by holders of the Forest Land Use Agreements (PPKH) covering an area of 18,498.36 Ha.…”

The Role of Agroforestry to Improve Farming System Sustainability in Upper Brantas Watershed

“…In the other places in Upper Citarum Watershed (UCW) West Java, Indonesia, farmers cultivate vegetables at the steep topography. Most farmers in the UCW grow seasonal crops, in particular, rice and vegetables (3). The determinants of farmer participation and intensity in the application of conservation depend on the ability to finance, land tenure and utilization, and the physical condition of the land.…”

“…The determinants of farmer participation and intensity in the application of conservation depend on the ability to finance, land tenure and utilization, and the physical condition of the land. In the future, conservation priorities must be more directed at a vegetative approach through developing synergistic perennial crops with particular efforts to convert vegetables on sloping lands to perennial crops (3).…”