Abstract
The contribution of rain-fed farming to national food production in Indonesia has yet to be optimal. The major constraint has been limited water supply, where it relies exclusively on the rainfall, and hence its planting index (PI) is still low, on average only 1.05. The establishment of water management system to support rain-fed fields with the introduction of suitable cultivation techniques (gogo rancah, walik jerami, super jarwo, and ratoon paddy) is known to be effective in rain-fed farming. Further, the use of drought-tolerant paddy variety and changing cropping pattern to focus on paddy, maize, and soybean would potentially improve the food production capacity in Indonesia. This study has shown these interventions, when applied to the existing 4 million ha rain-fed fields, are estimated to increase annual rice production by 16.7 million tons. The production of maize and soybean is also expected to increase by 3.7 million tons and 0.98 million tons per year, respectively. It is beyond the scope of this study, however, to consider the actual benefit felt by rain-fed smallholder farmers. Future research with farmers as its focus and the capacity of Indonesian institutions toward rain-fed farming thus will contribute further to the rain-fed farming development in Indonesia. This article shares a strategy in maximising the contribution of the currently available 4 million hectares of rain-fed land to the national food production, and hence sustainable food self-sufficiency in Indonesia.
Highlights
To feed the burgeoning world community of 9.73 billion people by 2050, additional food will have to be produced to at least 70% of total current production [1]
Studies conducted by the Indonesian Center for Rice Research (ICCR) show the multiplier effect among technological components in Integrated Plant Management (IPM) is able to provide high yields [30]
Recent national statistics indicate that around 3.64 million ha of the total 7.70 million ha existing agricultural land in Indonesia is categorized as nonirrigated land, and 3.17 million ha out of which is rain-fed land [16]
Summary
To feed the burgeoning world community of 9.73 billion people by 2050, additional food will have to be produced to at least 70% of total current production [1]. Studies conducted by the Indonesian Center for Rice Research (ICCR) show the multiplier effect among technological components in IPM is able to provide high yields [30] This would lead to increased food production and income and improve the welfare of farm households [22]. This article aims to provide strategic thinking in maximizing the contribution of the currently available 4 million ha of rain-fed land to the national food production, and sustainable food self-sufficiency in Indonesia. The cumulative impact of the IPM approach on the rain-fed land is expected to increase national food production by 20.3% for rice, 13.1% for maize, and 180.5% for soybean, and the potential economic benefit could reach IDR 88,747 – 95,620 trillion per year. The article elaborates (i) the potential of rain-fed farming in Indonesia, (ii) policy support for promoting rain-fed farming, (iii) technological advancement for rain-fed farming in Indonesia, (iv) economic return of investment on infrastructure and technological innovation in rain-fed areas, and (v) impact of developing water management infrastructure in rain-fed fields to rice production in Indonesia
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