KEMAMPUAN KEWIRAUSAHAAN, NILAI TAMBAH POHON ENAU (KAWUNG) DAN KESEJAHTERAAN PETANI DI KABUPATEN GARUT PROPINSI JAWA BARAT

Abstract

Entrepreneurial ability is a key word to create added value from kawung trees in improving the welfare of the farming community with a positive business approach in preserving nature. Kawung trees have long been regarded as a natural resource inheritance, so people have not been serious about developing them, from nurseries to processing and looking after them in the long run. The government is expected to have an important role to play in the survival of these kawung trees in improving the welfare of the community and protecting the environment in the short and long term.Kawung tree (Arrenga pinnata merr) besides having high economic value also functions for nature conservation because it has shallow and wide roots so that it serves to prevent erosion.From the economic side, from leaf buds to roots, they can be utilized and provide economic value, so that the community benefits directly, especially by creating added value from fruit, leaves, palm fibers, roots and trees so that farmers' welfare increases.Improving entrepreneurial skills of Kawung farmers needs to be a priority by developing local wisdom so that nature conservation is maintained. This combination cannot be delayed anymore, because the number of kawung trees is decreasing and landslides and floods have become routine every year in Garut district. West Java Province as the biggest center of production of Kawung and Garut Regency in particular is one of the centers of producing products with basic ingredients Kawung, ranging from broom sticks, palm fibers to a variety of palm sugar products, so that it has been known both locally and internationally.Creation of value added from kawung can be done by building kawung farmers with positive entrepreneurship so that it will improve the welfare of farmers and the preservation of alampun will be maintained. However, from the entrepreneurial abilities of Kawung farmers in Garut district, the creation of kawung added value, as well as the preservation of nature are not fully understood, so kawung trees continue to decrease and landslides and floods always occur every year.