The development of farmers cooperative in the potato agribusiness system in Batur Subdistrict, Banjarnegara

Abstract

Farmers' corporations are a form of farmer economic empowerment that unites all farmer resources and manages them in an integrated management. Batur Subdistrict, is one of the potato-producing centers in Banjarnegara District. This paper aims to analyze the potential for developing farmer corporations in the potato agribusiness system in Batur Subdistrict, Banjarnegara. The Farmer Corporation Model developed refers to the Ministry of Agriculture No. 18 of 2018, which is in the form of cooperatives or other legal entities with the majority of capital ownership by farmers. The data comes from the results of the 2020 study. Respondents consist of potato farmers, administrators of the Dieng Farmers Union (SPD), owners of subsidized fertilizer shop, potato seed breeders, agricultural extension workers, potato marketing actors, and managers of Agribusiness Microfinance Institutions (LKMA). Data analysis was carried out qualitatively and quantitatively descriptively by taking into account technical, economic and management aspects. The results of the study indicate that the existing farmer institutions in Batur Subdistrict, both technically, economically, and management have the potential to develop farmer corporations. The corporate model formulated is the growth of primary and secondary cooperatives which include potato seed cooperatives, farming capital cooperatives, potato production facilities cooperatives, and potato marketing cooperatives. The amount of economic value that can be obtained by each potato farmer with the existence of a corporation ranges from Rp. 1.04 - 2.07 million per year. In order for a farmer corporation to run and provide benefits to farmers, support from the government is needed in the form of assistance, business training, and initial capital.