Livelihood Assets as a Form of Adaptive Capacity of Farming Households to Scarcity of Subsided Fertilizer in Labakkang, District, Pangkep

Abstract

Objective: This research aims to describe the characteristics of rice farming households and the availability of livelihood assets in the face of a scarcity of subsidized fertilizers. Method/design/approach: The method used qualitative data collection used a case study approach to 80 farmers through observation and interviews. The descriptive analysis used interactive analysis by Milles and Huberman, and the data was validated by source triangulation. Results and conclusion: The results showed that the average age of farmers in Labakang District was 51 years old; most were men with low education and had an average number of family members of 5 people. Farming experience of more than 15 years and the average cultivate own paddy fields (60%) with a land area of 1.46 hectares. Farmers take advantage of the availability of natural capital in the form of land, water for farming, and livestock manure to make organic fertilizer. Physical assets such as land, houses, private vehicles, farming equipment, and livestock ownership help minimize rental expenses. Farming experience is very long, but farmers have insufficient knowledge and skills in making organic fertilizer. Financially they can buy non-subsidized fertilizers using other sources of income and their savings. Involvement in farmer groups, kinship among farmers, and participation in extension services also benefit them. Based on this, the availability of livelihood assets benefits the adaptive level of farming households in Labakang District in dealing with the scarcity of subsidized fertilizers.