Tuber-Based Farming Management to Increase Household Food Availability: A Case Study of Shifting Cultivation among the Arfak Tribes
Abstract
Arfak tribal farmers employ root crop cultivation management within shifting agriculture systems to ensure household food security. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of comprehensive information regarding their agricultural management practices. This study seeks to investigate the root crop farming management techniques utilized by Arfak tribal farmers in shifting cultivation to maintain household food availability, employing Parsons' theory of action approach. The research methodology incorporated a quantitative approach with a survey design, with research sites purposively selected in two districts of Manokwari Regency. A sample of 102 farmer households was chosen as respondents through a combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis. The findings reveal that farmers, as key actors in root crop farm management, generally sustain productivity, demonstrate literacy skills with extensive farming experience spanning over two decades, and have participated in agriculture-related non-formal education. These farmers typically belong to large families and rely solely on farming as their income source. The management of root crop cultivation within a shifting cultivation system necessitates farmers' consideration of critical factors, including the availability of communal land, familial labor resources, and access to capital in the form of equipment and plant seeds. Farmers demonstrate the ability to effectively manage available production factors, enabling them to cultivate root crops for both consumption and income generation. The strategies employed in root crop cultivation management for maintaining household food availability encompass the management of production factors (land, labor, and capital), oversight of cultivation activities (land preparation, seed preparation, planting, plant maintenance, and harvesting), and management of harvest yield utilization. A consistently observed practice among farmers in root crop cultivation is the adherence to the principle of restricting planting to the susti area. The preservation of social, ecological, and economic values in farming is evident in the root crop farm management practices of these farmers.
Keywords: farming management; tubers; shifting cultivation; food availability; Arfak; Parsons' theory of action
DOI：10.62321/issn.1000-1298.2024.11.02
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