Technical Efficiency of Local Rice Farming in Tidal Swamp Areas of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia: Determinants and Implications

Abstract

Rice, as a staple food of Indonesia, is facing increasing demand while its availability stagnates due to the conversion of agricultural land in Java. This study explores a strategy to counteract this shortfall by accelerating rice production in non-Java tidal swamp areas.A key challenge in this context is to enhance the technical efficiency of local rice farming. Conducted in 2021 in the Kapuas and Pulang Pisau districts of Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia, this study aims to quantify the technical efficiency of local rice farming in these tidal swamp areas and identify factors contributing to its inefficiency. Empirical data were collected through surveys and focused group discussions, and subsequently analyzed using stochastic frontier production. The findings suggest that the average technical efficiency level is 0.58, albeit with variations across villages, ranging from 0.45 to 0.71. It was found that the size of landholding, the use of pesticides, labor, and harvesting tools have a significant positive impact on rice production. On the other hand, inefficiency is influenced by factors such as the number of household members aged 15 or above, education level, and the proportion of total household income derived from rice farming. These insights are valuable for policymakers and program planners aiming to improve the efficiency of rice farming in tidal swamp environments. It is recommended that government programs focus on the prerequisites for tidal farming, specifically water management infrastructures. Additionally, the application of locationspecific technology may enhance the productivity of local rice varieties in tidal swamps.