Determinants of rice production in Bantaeng Regency, Indonesia: In search of innovative sustainable farm management practices

Over the past five years, rice production in Bantaeng Regency has averaged 5.2 tons per hectare, considerably below Bantaeng Regency's 2020 goal of 10.0 tons. Low rice yield internationally and domestically has prompted many studies to assess the effect of farmer and farm characteristics, and input factors on rice production. These include education, agricultural income, farmer cooperatives, production inputs, and financing. In response to this issue, the present study examined determinants of rice production in Bantaeng Regency, Indonesia. A representative sample of 185 rice farmers was randomly selected for structured interviews. The data analysis was carried out by employing the Binary Logistics Regression Analysis (BLRA). We used the BLRA to regress thirteen independent variables (land area, seed application, urea fertilizer, NPK fertilizer, insecticides, herbicides, farm labor, education length, education level, farmer age, experience in farming, landowner status, and farming distance) to examine their effects on rice production. As a result, all independent variables simultaneously had a statistically significant effect on rice yield. Then, the partial testing of thirteen variables revealed that five variables—urea fertilizer, NPK fertilizer, pesticide, labor, and farmer age—had a positive and significant impact on rice production. In contrast, the seed application variable has a statistically negative effect on rice yield, while the other variables do not. Based on the results of this study, we recommend five innovative rice farm management strategies to enhance rice production in the future. Firstly, the farmer should expand their cropped area and increase the use of urea fertilizer, insecticides, and herbicides, labor and seed reduction is expected to boost rice yield immediately. Secondly, governments must ensure farmers' access to urea and NPK fertilizers, pesticides, and certified seeds in the future. Thirdly, policymakers must regulate the high costs and limited availability of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, including insecticides and herbicides. The policymaker would guarantee farmers adequate access to these resources. Fourthly, the farmers should use certified seeds with great output potential and apply the right amount. Fifthly, the rural labor replacement policy regulates rural wages and pay to handle the expected farm labor shortage.