Farmer’s socio-economic characteristics and financial feasibility analysis of three pepper (Piper nigrum L.) farming patterns in Southeast Sulawesi

Abstract

This study aims to examine farmer’s socio-economic characteristics and pepper farming analysis on several pepper management patterns. This study was conducted in Lawonua Village, South Konawe District, and Simbune Village, East Kolaka District, Southeast Sulawesi Province, in June 2014 and November 2015. Data were collected through a survey method using open-ended and semi-structured questionnaire interviews, in-depth interviews, and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Data were analyzed using qualitative descriptive and financial analysis, such as NPV, BCR, and IRR. The results showed that most income of the community in Simbune and Lawonua Village is from pepper farming activity. The respondents were dominated by men, where most of them are Tolaki Tribe, with average age ranges from 30-50 years old. Education level was dominated by junior and senior high school, and most of the respondents have more than ten years of pepper farming experience. The analysis showed that all pepper pattern management was feasible. The results indicated that the first pattern of monoculture pepper farming provided the highest NPV IDR 379,175,999 (IDR/rotation), and the second-highest was pepper farming with cocoa, which provided the highest BCR values (2.75). While the third was agroforestry pepper patterns with pepper, cocoa, durian, and langsat that had the highest IRR value of 33%. The pepper with the cocoa farming pattern was generally carried out by farmers who have enough capital. While pepper farming in the agroforestry pattern was mostly chosen due to its consideration to provide more security for family income.