Abstract
<p>There are many potentials in the sector of <em>silvoagriculture, silvopastura </em>and <em>silvoagrofisher</em>y at Kandri and Cepoko district as “green belt” areas of Semarang. Unfortunately, these potentials do not give a significant impact on society yet. This is due to the lack of farmer’s institution system, limited human resource, and infrastructure. The Triple Helix approach involving academician, businessman, and government is found to be less optimal. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of the model used for empowering the farmers at dry land area through the Quadruple Helix approach as the development of Triple Helix one involving academician, businessman, civil society, and government. The locus of the research area is Kandri and Cepoko district at Gunungpati subdistrict in Semarang City of Central Java Province, Indonesia. This research employed qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the qualitative approach, the data are analyzed using an interactive model. While the quantitative approach, Human Development Index (HDI) analysis is employed. The results find that farmers' empowerment program is conducted through the Quadruple Helix approach by involving academicians, businessmen, local governments and civil society groups at the villages. Then, the HDI calculation results show that the index of human development in Kandri has decreased 0.09444. Before the program, it was amounted from 0.82367 to 0.72923. Whereas, the human development index of farmers in Cepoko before the program has increased from 0.83142 to 0.84085. Its increase reaches 0.09425. This indicates that the farmer group at Cepoko district is more resistant to national economic issues such as the weak exchange rate than the farmers in Kandri disctrict. Therefore, this study makes recommendation that farmers should organize integrated farming by establishing integrated economic region so that they can make use of existing resources efficiently and effectively. </p>
Highlights
The capital of Central Java, has a geostrategic position because it is located on a traffic lane economy of the Java island
Based on the results of the evaluation of development activities of dry land farmers, it can be concluded that; first, Small Medium Enterprise Development Program is conducted by involving academician, private sector, government and beneficiary; second, Human Development Index (HDI) value of Kandri before the implementation of the program is less than that of after the program due to the weakening of the rupiah during the program implementation, and it has led to the lower purchasing power of the society; third, HDI farmer groups in Cepoko after the Small Medium Enterprise Development Program is higher than that of prior to the program
Some recommendations can be offered to the government such as to establish the centers of agriculture-based rural economic growth through Small Medium Enterprise Development Program which is integrated from upstream to downstream, to strengthen the local institutions, to create cluster for better assistance and capital facilitation so that the quality, quantity and the continuity of the products are assured and efficient
Summary
The capital of Central Java, has a geostrategic position because it is located on a traffic lane economy of the Java island. Semarang is divided into three areas, including coastal. Population growth and the land conversion make farmers are increasingly pressured even though agriculture is recorded as one of contributors to Semarang GDP reaching at 0.97% (Bappeda, 2014). In accordance with Semarang City Regulation No 14 in 2011, Gunungpati subdistrict is considered as an area of "green belt" serving as a conservation as well as a balancing region. This district has Latosol-kind soil old reddish brown making its soil has the ability to grow annual crops, and good horticulture plants having slopes up to more than 40% at mountainous region. In Cepoko, there is a land owned by Government usually called bengkok land, which is managed as orchards and is potentially developed as an area of fruit agrotourism
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