Socio-Economic Impact of Transfer of Oil Palm Land Functions to Paddy Fields in Mukomuko District, Bengkulu Province

Abstract

The expansion of oil palm plantations through the conversion of lowland rice land to oil palm plantations has become a long debate because it is not in accordance with the vision and mission of Mukomuko Regency regarding food self-sufficiency, but in recent years there has been a change in the function of oil palm plantations to lowland rice. About 370 hectares of oil palm and swamp plantations in the Mukomuko District, Bengkulu, were converted into new rice fields. This is interesting to research because this phenomenon is considered unique when in other areas people flock to change the function of food land to oil palm plantations, on the other hand in Mukomuko District the community has shifted land functions from oil palm plantations to lowland rice, even though so far the oil palm farming business . The location selection was carried out purposively and the respondent determination was carried out by the solvin method, which obtained 181 respondents. Collecting data using a survey method by distributing questionnaires to respondents. For data analysis using qualitative and quantitative methods, to see the social impact is described descriptively, while the economic impact is seen from the side of revenue and income. The results of the study explain the social impact of farmers gathering in the fields more often during planting, fertilizing, spraying pests, and at harvest time. Farmers who were previously very consumptive, especially when the price of palm oil went up and experienced difficulties when the price of fresh fruit bunches fell, are now more prudent in managing finances. The environment around the land is now more beautiful and the water quality is getting better. As well as holding more frequent deliberations regarding policies and counseling on lowland rice farming. The economic impact of lowland rice farming generates an income of Rp. 36.151.207 / Ut / Ha / Th. while oil palm farming is Rp. 28,308,303 / Ut / Ha / Th. It can be concluded that the income obtained from lowland rice farming is greater than the income obtained by oil palm farming even though the time period for obtaining income is different, for lowland rice, revenue is obtained within three times a year, while oil palm farmers can earn income every two 14 days. once, or 24 times a year. It means that in terms of income, it increases after the land conversion is carried out..