Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) farming for food security: Gross output, net farm income, and B/C ratio

Abstract

Pearl millet (pennisetum glaucum) is non-rice food commodity which is not only as a source of carbohydrate but also antioxidants, bioactive compounds, and fiber. Calculating gross output, net farm income and B/C ratio were important for the sustainability of pearl millet farming in which pearl millet is better to be alternative of primary food than rice because it contains any benefit for healthy life availability. This study was conducted in West Sulawesi which was selected by purposive sampling in considering that the area was one of the centers of pearl millet farming in Indonesia. Data were collected by using the structured interview to the farmers as samples who cultivated pearl millet as alternative farming. The result found that both of gross output and net farm income of pearl millet (pennisetum glaucum) in one production period after calculated in IDR was dramatically lower than the regional minimum income of West Sulawesi in a month even though B/C ratio value showed that pearl millet farming was feasible to be cultivated. Pearl millet farming was produced twice or two periods in a year. In justification, pearl millet was not the primary but only alternative farm income when the weather was extremely to produce maize or other plants. This condition showed that pearl millet in West Sulawesi was not the priority of food production to support farmers’ income, it was just alternative farming after maize, cocoa, and local onion.