The Contribution of Social Capital to the Income and Development of Beef Cattle Farmers

Abstract

Developing the livestock sector in Kediri, East Java Province requires an investigation on the social capital of beef cattle farmers to observe the actual condition and the strategies. The research is aimed to describe the social capital that includes the kinship, behaviours, norms and interactions and to analyze the correlation between social capital and economic income of beef cattle farming in Kediri Regency. The study was conducted from January to June 2018, collecting data from a survey and questionnaire. A multistage sampling method was applied to collect 150 farmers in eight sub-districts in Kediri. Data were subject to descriptive analysis. The result showed that the social capital of beef cattle farmers in Kediri is at the medium level as observed from the farmers' ability to collaborate in achieving group objectives. The average annual income of beef cattle farmers in Kediri was IDR 2.700.000. The result showed a significant correlation (0,426) between the social capital and the income of beef cattle farmers in Kediri. It indicated that the higher the social capital, the higher the income. Some efforts to increase social capitals included a social gathering and farmers upskill through intensive training on technology mastery.