04 Editorial Inggris

EDITORIAL

THE FUTURE CHALLENGES OF
INDONESIAN AGRICULTURE

NGO, The State, and The Peasants

international capitalists with a topdown beaurocratic approach model,

The existence of non governmental

and lacks attention to the capacity

organizations (NGO) in the frame of

building for establishing the indepen-

rural development programs, espe-

dence in rural development. It has al-

cially in agrarian sector, is not some-

so created the rural dependence upon

thing new. NGOs, either those posi-

the state, for example, the emerging

tioning themselves as supplements,

agricultural revitalization issued by

partners, or the state substitutions,

the cabinet of President Susilo Bam-

have triggered various criticisms, as

bang Yudhoyono, which has stimu-

well as complements, of a lot of dif-

lated various kinds of responses of the

ferent parties. Various parties have

people.

been a priori saying that the existence
of NGOs is actually of no solution to

Peasants have also been encountering

public matters, but exploiting the

a big problem, i.e. the imbalance

people's problems and dragging them

between the conflicts and agrarian

into political issues, instead.

structure, as well as the missing sovereignty to determine what to produce,

The state, as the mandated party to

how to produce, to whom the products

run and manage the wheel of gover-

are going to be sold, and how the

nance, is frequently considered failed

system of the selling would be. The

in manifesting the welfare for the peo-

peasants are also losing their sove-

ple. In the agrarian context, the policy

reignty to access their need for food.

of development tends to stand by the

The narrowing space of sovereignty

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THE FUTURE CHALLENGES OF INDONESIAN AGRICULTURE

has caused their chances to determine

essential agents in social changes,

the social and economic strategy

have not sufficiently accommodated

which are in accordance with their

themselves with sufficient knowledge,

needs weaker and more limited.

either macro or micro, on who is the
beneficiary, which in this case is the
society. The lack of such under-

The Future Challenges of Indone-

standing has made various policies

sian Agriculture

and strategies formulated by NGOs

and the state inappropriate in direct-

If, on the one hand, NGOs are consi-

ing the targets.

dered only selling poverty to donating
institutions overseas, on the other

The sufficient knowledge on the so-

hand, the state is considered failed in

ciety would make us able to get

manifesting the welfare for the peo-

clearer description on the maps of

ple, and the peasants are entrapped in

problems going on, as well as to find

various complicated problems that

the alternative solutions. The lack of

make them lose their sovereignty.

thorough understanding of society,

Thus, what would the future of the

either macro or micro, as well as the

Indonesian agriculture be like? The

changes occurring in it, has made us

complexity of problems undergone

get frequently trapped in only one

has frequently created an assumption

problem and neglect the others. In

that Indonesian agriculture seems to

NGOs for instance, there is a tendency

have lost its future. Agriculture has

to only focus on "commercial" matters

frequently been considered unpro-

to

misingly profitable, especially for the

problems which are frequently be-

peasants as the subjects of the agri-

yond media's concern are actually of a

cultural activities.

similar degree of importance. In

mass

media,

whereas

other

government level, the lack of knowIn order to see how the future of Indo-

ledge and concern on society, have

nesian agriculture would be like, we

also frequently caused the policies

certainly need to take a look at how

and the launching programs undirect-

the performance of the respective ac-

ed to the wished targets. In other

tors related, i.e.: NGOs, the state, as

words, the sufficient knowledge on

well as the peasants themselves.

society is a very valuable asset, espe-

There is a tendency showing that, so

cially for NGOs and the state, when

far, NGOs and the state considered the

they are going to "invite" the people to

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EDITORIAL

"change." Such an understanding is,

have assumed. Local knowledge, va-

in turn, very essential in responding to

lue, and identity, nearly always under-

the challenge of the Indonesian agri-

go the process of renegotiation as well

culture in the future.

as reproduction, as the consequence
of the active process as well as the

It is similarly elaborated by Hery

involvement of the people in every

Santoso who is recently holding the

single move of alternation.

position of JAVLEC (Java Learning
Center) Director, saying that the point

The dynamism of the people is also

of view of anthropologic romance on

"captured" by Yunita T. Winarno of

the people living nearby the woods

the Department of Anthropology, the

that are humble, wise, and locally

Faculty of Social and Politic Sciences,

knowledgeable, yet marginal and lack

Indonesian University. The writer ex-

opportunity, is a normal symptom in

plains that the practice of The Field

social researchers. The false under-

School of Integrated Pest Control (SL

standing on the real "portrait" of the

PHT) is considered to have stimulated

people is learned to have caused the

the peasants to say "no" in terms of

various empowering programs initia-

controlling pest/disease with pesti-

ted by lots of parties including NGOs

cide, when the attack of pest/disease

come into failure.

is not very essential. Another important thing is the consciousness of the

The penetration of capitalism has

importance of careful observation, or

opened the threshold of old-value

in the jargon of peasants is called the

negotiation, even in some certain ca-

importance of observing. Both of the

ses, in order to actively get involved in

things above are believed to be the

the organizing process of daily life

beginning of the growth of the inde-

aspects of deep values. The local

pendence spirit. Peasants are creative

society with stabile structure of needs

and innovative creatures in coping

will, in turn, have to negotiate with the

with the problems overwhelming their

world, where identity and taste keep

lives. On the one hand, there is a pea-

changing in accordance with the inte-

sants' dynamism in responding to the

rests of production and status. Hence,

new ideas being introduced. Adopting

what is frequently thought as local

new ideas means element addition to

knowledge, local wisdom, and all

their thinking scheme, enriched with

other local identities are of completed

the feedback of their observing and

matters by no means, as people may

learning results. On the other hand,

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THE FUTURE CHALLENGES OF INDONESIAN AGRICULTURE

the peasants have not left their old

Still

ideas the way they like. Old ideas

Maguantara of AKATIGA elaborates

about

food,

Yusup

Napiri

could reemerge and get stronger in

that there is a close relationship bet-

certain circumstances.

ween the nature's physical condition
and the social structure surrounding a

Tri Hadiyanto Sasongko of AKA-

community. Such relationship needs

TIGA discusses the relationship bet-

concerning in the effort of under-

ween the continuous agricultural ob-

standing the potencies of food criti-

session and the food sovereignty

cality, as well as the overcoming

programs by NGOs. Continuous agri-

guide. Aggregately, it is of no mistake

culture is believed to be one of the

to use the food surplus of a country as

alternative ways to reach the food

the indicator of the food stability. Yet,

sovereignty, and on the contrary, food

the achievement of the food stability

sovereignty is a condition considered

in macro level does not mean that

to be strategic in order to guarantee

there is no problem of it in micro level,

the continuity of the agricultural fu-

in household level. The writer has

ture. Nevertheless, the practice of the

pointed out the irony that some re-

continuous agriculture initiated by

gions undergoing food criticality are

NGOs tends to focus merely on the as-

statistically surplus in food. Various

pects of production and distribution,

parties including government as the

whereas

policy maker need to pay attention to

the

consumption

aspect

(food) still lacks concern.

such kind of thing.

Food is an unchangeable human basic

One of the government's policies ha-

need. Therefore, it is quite appro-

ving been the limelight is the agri-

priate if food and the consuming pat-

cultural revitalization. Revitalizing ru-

tern going along with it are given a

ral and agricultural sectors is one of

concern, time share, and energy, as

the strategies selected by the Cabinet

greatly as the other aspects (product-

of the United Indonesia (Kabinet

ion and distribution). As a matter of

Indonesia Bersatu), in the effort of

fact, in daily life, the three aspects

manifesting the Indonesian People

(production, distribution, and con-

Development. Unfortunately, the ac-

sumption) are not only closely related

tivity planning is predictive and not

to one another but also overlapped so

based upon accurate data, so that the

that it is difficult to firmly separate

determined targets seem to be on the

them.

contrary with one another, specially

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EDITORIAL

on the land monopoly and the num-

been threatened as being unable to be

bers of peasants working in agri-

operated. The concern towards the

cultural lands. Erizal Jamal of the

non landreform aspects in the agra-

Center for Social-Economic Analysis

rian renewal concepts should also be

and Agricultural Policy, Department of

concerned and balanced with the

Agriculture, is trying to view the op-

landreform aspects.

portunity of improving the land monopoly in peasant level, through a land

Unlike Erizal Jamal and Syahyuti dis-

consolidation commenced with the

cussing the matters of policy, Dede

improvement of the land monopoly

Mulyanto of Department of Anthro-

system/land tenure reform existing in

pology, Faculty of Social and Political

peasant level. Such an effort could be

Sciences, Padjajaran University, fo-

a basic initiation for the sake of con-

cuses his writing more on the future of

tinuous effort that enables peasants

Indonesian Peasants. He elaborates

to get lands of certain width and of a

the activity searching for life in pea-

certain space. Furthermore, such an

sants of old age. Age is importantly

effort is expected to be able to open

related to the production process and

the threshold of opportunity of other

the activity of life searching. People go

enterprises related to the business

through their old ages differently,

run by peasants.

depending especially on the socialeconomic background. In the level of

Still discussing the policy, Syahyuti is

poor peasants and labor peasants,

trying to carry out a study on various

getting older means the same as get-

fundamental problems as well as the

ting dragged out of working market.

policies having been formulated re-

Getting older does not only mean get-

cently, by emphasizing the effort of

ting deafer but also getting more dif-

integrating the landreform and non

ficult in searching for life.

landreform aspects in the more operational agrarian renewal concept.

The methodology segment of this

With all limited data as well as being

edition presents Johan Iskandar, a

burdened by a lot of problems, the po-

research staff of the Research Center

licy of agricultural and rural deve-

of Natural and Environmental Resour-

lopment, which have to be formulated

ces, The Research Institute, Padjaja-

and still run, is worried to have en-

ran University, describing the metho-

countered hindrances and possibly

dology of understanding the peasants'

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XVII

THE FUTURE CHALLENGES OF INDONESIAN AGRICULTURE

dynamic lives in managing their agri-

food rather than the food availability.

culture. In his writing, the writer

Sen has also pointed out that hunger

offers three kinds of approaches, i.e.:

or malnutrition happens not because

human ecology, agro-ecosystem, and

of having no food but the inability to

the farming system. First, the ap-

own food.

proach of human ecology could be
used for studying the relationship

How come food prosperity exists on

between the population dynamics and

the one hand, while hunger and mal-

the circumstances of the farming sys-

nutrition occur on the other hand?

tem. Second, the approach of agro-

Food has now been transforming into

ecosystem analysis could be applied

a commodity or commercial goods, so

in order to analyze the varied sciences

that a person or a group of people

and the prompt assessment tech-

could make profit on it. That is why

niques towards the agricultural enter-

rich entrepreneurs compete to mono-

prise system. Third, the approach of

polize the industry. The problem has

farming system could be used for spe-

later become more complicated when

cifically analyzing the management of

food and agriculture have to be libe-

agricultural enterprises carried out by

ralized and follow the market rule.

the peasants.

With free market, the neo-liberalists
force developing countries to libe-

The Book Review in the journal of So-

ralize

their

domestic

markets.

cial Analysis here presents the ela-

Through the force of IMF and the

boration by Tri Hadiyanto Sasong-

World Bank, through their credit gi-

ko on the book written by Khudori en-

ving projects, such forces become

titled: "Lapar: Negeri Salah Urus!"

more perfect. Owing to having no

("Hungry: The Mismanaged Coun-

strong commitment to their people,

try!"). The core of the book is the con-

the government of developing coun-

firmation that hunger does not merely

tries could frequently do nothing. In

happened owing to having no food,

such a condition, people and poor

since hunger can even occur in a pros-

peasants become all alone.

perous country. This is parallel with
the statement of a Nobel winner of

Meanwhile,

Economy, 1998, Amartya Sen, on the

cusses a book entitled "Yang Ber-

importance of the access and the as-

kuasa, Yang Tersisih, & Yang Tak Ber-

pect of freedom for determining the

daya: Demokrasi Yang Bagaimana di

XVIII

Dede

Mulyanto

dis-

JURNAL ANALISIS SOSIAL VOL. 11 NO. 1 APRIL 2006

EDITORIAL

Indonesia?" (The Authorized, The Ne-

For the closing segment, Gunawan

glected, & The Powerless: How is the

Wiradi questions whether the scien-

democracy like in Indonesia?"), by Ina

tific activities in social sciences can

E. Slamet. The book describes how

"value free" or not. The writing is

the power of global capitalism with its

actually a paper of a seminar long in

chronic hunger has exploited the

the past, yet the theme is considered

remote places of Kalimantan, Su-

relevant. In order to have no oppor-

lawesi, or Papua ever since the colo-

tunity to be bias, the writing is pu-

nialism era up to now. They took the

blished in this journal precisely the

wealth away as much as they possibly

same as the original, i.e. in English.

could, and then they threw the gar-

The term hands-off policy is used to

bage, poverty, descendant self-dig-

refer to the attitude of fully rejecting

nity, and the imbalanced social struc-

the in-fluences of value and ideology

ture to the surrounding circumstances

in scientific activities. Meanwhile,

away. The role of Ina E. Slamet as an

hands-in policy is used to refer to the

anthropologist is very important in

attitude of accepting the fact that in

revealing the problems of being ne-

practice, social sciences are abso-

glected undergone by the ethnic tribes

lutely not likely "value free". The ar-

in Papua. Yet, the reviewer reminds

gument on the two different points of

that the problem of being neglected in

view above has never been through

terms of social, economic, and politic

till now.

is also undergone by some Javanese
ethnics in which they politically mono-

The discourse on the meaning of

polize the center of political union

"ideology" itself as well as its deve-

called Indonesia. The abandoning

lopment is a simple matter by no

process is indeed established in cities

means, since it is related to theori-

where hobos live under bridges of fly

zation on the high level of abstraction

over, and house dragging is the sym-

or philosophy. The writing might seem

bol. Ina Slamet seems to be fully

"narrow", as it only uses some limited

aware of it. Yet, the years of expe-

literature. Nevertheless, it is a very

rience in doing researches as well as

valuable contribution, especially to

living together with the rural ethnics

young researchers that should start

of Papua make her focus her concern

thinking of the implications of their re-

on

searches, not only for the sake of

being

abandoned

that

haunting the rural ethnics.

keeps

science but also for the facts of social

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XIX

THE FUTURE CHALLENGES OF INDONESIAN AGRICULTURE

lives. At the end of his writing, Guna-

as well as develop their under-

wan Wiradi suggests young resear-

standing through extensive reading.

chers be able to develop themselves

[Editor]

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