Understanding the farming systems and cattle production in Tanah Laut, South Kalimantan

Abstract

The Government of Indonesia has been promoting crop and cattle integration in several provinces to increase local cattle supply and reduce the reliance on imports. Tanah Laut district in South Kalimantan was one of those sites selected. Despite being the major cattle producer, more than 50% of beef demand in Tanah Laut district is met by imported frozen beef, and live cattle imports from interisland. This paper examined how the farming systems in Tanah Laut, including cattle production, have been shaped by technical, agro-climatic, socioeconomic and institutional factors. The main method used is informant interviews with farmer group leaders. Key results are: cattle is the main source of income; the cattle distribution program provided the initial breeding stock, but inadequate technical and extension support and inconsistent development programs have resulted in slow cattle population growth; Javanese and Balinese migrants were more inclined to adopt new technology; and women are involved in various farming activities, but their contribution is not acknowledged. The implication is that better understanding of farming systems and underlying socioeconomic and institutional factors is necessary for better development policies to increase local beef supply, as well as facilitating adoption and scaling out of improved technology.