The perception of rural dairy farmers concerning the commercialization of forage: Evidence from Lembang District

Abstract

Environmental and land pressure from horticultural and tourism reduces the availability of forage for sustainable dairy production, specifically in Lembang. Subsequently, only limited commercialization of forage exists in the area. This study aims to explore the perception and selections of dairy farmers in Lembang District based on their interest in purchasing forage and its varieties. The purposive sampling technique was used to select hundreds farmers and they were interviewed for their perception. These perceptions were grouped into (1) not very interested, (2) not interested, (3) interested and (4) very interested. The data were analyzed using scale range analysis. However, the ones concerning the selection of forage types and the willingness of farmers to purchase this plant material were analyzed using qualitative analysis and descriptive statistics. The results showed that 96% were willing to purchase forage (interested and very interested) with elephant grass being the most favourable type (62%). It was found that quality is the critical determinant in farmers decision to purchase forage (33%). Therefore, it was concluded that sustainable dairy farming in the district can be improved by purchasing high-quality elephant grass forage from outside this region.