Village Barn in Coastal Area of Java, From “Lumbung Desa” to Village Unit Cooperative in Demak-Grobogan

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the history of institutional changes in food security in the form of savings institutions at the micro-level of rural Indonesia. This research uses the history method using primary sources from documents and oral interviews. The traditional food security institutions in the form of Village Barns could run well because of the support and independence of rural communities. It happened during the colonial period until the beginning of Indonesian independence. After the emergence of modern logistics institutions in the form of the Logistics Affairs Agency (Bulog) and KUD, which were the result of the policies of the New Order government, rural communities became independent. They de-pended on the government for fertilizers, medicines, seeds, and others. With the presence of these modern logistics institutions, community-based resilience institutions are increasingly marginalized. Its findings indicate a difference in effectiveness between traditional food security institutions and current resilience institutions in ensuring the availability of rice in rural areas. The government needs to re-strengthen community participation-based savings institutions through village granaries.