Initiation and Dissemination of Organic Rice Cultivation in Bali, Indonesia

Fumitaka Shiotsu,Nobuo Sakagami,Dewa Suprapta,Nurwulan Agustiani,Masakazu Komatsuzaki,Naomi Asagi,Youji Nitta

doi:10.3390/su7055171

Abstract

Organic farming has attracted attention in Indonesia because consumers increasingly prefer the putative safety and health benefits of organic farm products. Although national standards for organic farm products were established in 2002, some products sold as organic products in supermarkets do not carry the certification mark. This study investigated organic rice farming on the island of Bali in Indonesia using fieldwork to ascertain the actual increase in organic farming. Results revealed that government certified organic farming used originally produced cattle manure to grow organic rice. At the market, however, some “quasi-organic farming” products, which had not been given the organic farming certification, were sold as organic rice. This eventuality suggests that although organic farming has been increasing steadily in Bali, development of sustainable recycling agriculture demands technical guidance and increased publicity for organic farming, based on national certification, to address misunderstandings and confusion about the definitions of organic farming and national standards that are transparent to producers and consumers.

Highlights

Indonesians’ staple food is rice: the most important cereal for the country
Organic farming has been attracting greater attention in recent years in Indonesia as a result of the growing preference of farmers and consumers for safety and health benefits of organic products and governmental promotion of organic products [5]. This was triggered when the Asian financial crisis struck the country in 1998, leading to measures supporting a return to a sustainable agricultural production system in balance with the environment from a production system that was becoming increasingly dependent on chemical fertilizers at the time [6]
This study was undertaken to investigate the recent conditions of organic rice farming in Bali, Indonesia, and to identify the status of diffusion of organic agriculture

Summary

Introduction

Indonesians’ staple food is rice: the most important cereal for the country. Rice production in Asian, and other countries, and regions has increased considerably by virtue of the Green Revolution, providing solutions to food shortages and reducing poverty [1]. Organic farming has been attracting greater attention in recent years in Indonesia as a result of the growing preference of farmers and consumers for safety and health benefits of organic products and governmental promotion of organic products [5]. This was triggered when the Asian financial crisis struck the country in 1998, leading to measures supporting a return to a sustainable agricultural production system in balance with the environment (i.e., organic farming) from a production system that was becoming increasingly dependent on chemical fertilizers at the time [6]. This study was undertaken to investigate the recent conditions of organic rice farming in Bali, Indonesia, and to identify the status of diffusion of organic agriculture

Basic Information Related to Rice Cultivation in Bali

Organic Farming in Jatiluwih Village

Organic Farming in Getasani Village

Findings

Discussion

Conclusions