Strategy Model for Improving the Implementation of Good Agricultural Practices Towards Sustainable Muntok White Pepper in Bangka Belitung Province

Abstract

Muntok White pepper (MWP) as the mainstay commodity of Indonesia’s exports in its production activities must be paid attention to aspects of high quality and food safety. Efforts can be made by increasing the implementation of GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) because GAP can produce high-quality Muntok White Pepper (MWP). It is safe to consume and produced in an environmentally friendly way, guaranteed product sustainability, competitive selling prices by considering economic, social and environmental sustainability. This article presents an analysis of the strategy model for improving Good Agricultural Practices-Muntok White Pepper. The research was conducted in Bangka Belitung Province which is the center of national pepper production. The farmer sample included 259 respondents taken using the multistage random sampling method. Survey, observation, interview, and questionnaire methods were applied to collect data. The data was examined with Covariance-based Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM). The research model is built based on an exogenous construct consisting of the role of extension workers, personal factors, and environmental factors, while the endogenous construct is an increase in the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices - Muntok White Pepper. The results of the study show that the strategy model for improving the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices - Muntok White Pepper (GAP-MWP) by increasing the capacity of the role of agricultural extension workers includes education, as well as increasing personal factors including motivation and perception. Increasing the capacity of extension workers technically includes land selection and cultivation as well as integrated cultivation management, in addition to the importance of increasing motivation and changing negative perceptions of farmers.