Agus Hermawan’s research while affiliated with Lampung Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology and other places

Rumen digesta disposal from slaughterhouses is a significant problem due to causes environmental pollution. However, it is valuable waste that is potent to use as a supplement on animal diet considering its rich in nutrients. Moreover, additional natural substances on rumen digesta improved feed efficiency. Thus, this research aimed to evince the effectiveness of rumen digesta supplementation enriched with natural sources for enhancing the quality of animal diet and cattle performance. The study was conducted on a cattle farm of Ngablak, Magelang Regency. Four formulations of rumen digesta were fed to five male cattle (Holstein-Friesian crossbred) in a completely randomized experimental design, namely: (1) RCS: rumen digesta enriched with cassava leaves, (2) RKD: rumen digesta enriched with moringa leaves and soybean powder, (3) RKC: rumen digesta enriched with moringa leaves and cassava chips, (4) RKS: rumen digesta enriched with moringa leaves and milk. The rumen digesta were processed through anaerobic fermentation for 21 days, then mixed with other feedstuff components, including rice straws, grasses, rice bran, molasses, table salts, and commercial mineral. The utilization of RKS rumen digesta resulted in the best nutritional value of feed indicated by high crude protein (10.24% DM), lipid (3.37% DM), and crude fiber (28.5% DM). Moreover, feeding cattle with the RKS diet significantly gained the cattle body weight up to 1.24 kg/day.

The coronavirus, originally an endemic in Wuhan Province, China, quickly spread throughout the world and turned into a pandemic. In Indonesia, COVID-19 was officially announced on March 2, 2020. Several policies were taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, particularly in social distancing, self-isolation, and travel restrictions. This policy has reduced employment in all sectors of the economy and the loss of many jobs. The study was conducted to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the volatility of the leading food commodities that strongly trigger inflation (rice, fresh chicken meat, beef, eggs, onions, garlic, curly red chillies, red chillies, cooking oil, and sugar). The analysis was carried out by dividing the daily food price data into two periods: before (July 31, 2017 – March 1, 2020) and during (March 2, 2020 – October 14, 2020) COVID-19. Price volatility was analysed using the ARCH/GARCH Model. Analysis was also carried out by correlating food price movements with the progress of COVID-19 cases. The results show that most food prices tend to be stable after COVID-19 cases except for chicken, meat and eggs. A significant correlation was also found between the price movements with the COVID-19 cases. The results indicated that the impact of COVID-19 on food price volatility related to the intrinsic character or the nature of foods, the benefits of the foods to health, and government protection policies for these food staples. In general, the government must guarantee those food staples’ movement, and thus, their distribution would not be disrupted. Social security policies are still essential to maintain purchasing power, access the poor to food, and prevent a decline in the performance of the agricultural sector.

The increasing rate of shallot production of Central Java Province for the last ten years was lower than the national rate, indicated the need for new technology development. The study aims to determine the economic feasibility of the newly seedling planting technique in three planting distances (10 x 10 cm, 10 x 15 cm, and 15 x 15 cm). In that case, farmers use seed bulbs. The research was carried out in Padang Village, Tanggungharjo Subdistrict, Grobogan Regency, from August to October 2018. Financial analysis, consisting of BCR, MBCR, break-even point of both production and price, and competitive advantage of the techniques were analyzed. The results showed that the newly seedling technologies and planting distance were able to increase the productivity of shallots ranging from 12,685 to 21,088 kg. At the price of shallot bulbs at IDR 10,000 per kg, 10x10 cm planting distance resulted in the highest profit (IDR 180,790,100/ha). It was much higher compared to the farmers' technology (IDR 9,299,000/ha). Based on break-even point analysis, seedling planting technology has a tolerance limit of production and prices decreasing between 67.24% to 71.44% compared to existing technology (16.03%). Seedling planting technology has a competitive advantage with a net profit ratio of 13.76 to 19.44 and a minimum selling price of IDR 3,239 to IDR 3,622 to obtain the same profit as existing technology. Thus, the technology of planting shallot seedlings at a spacing of 10 x 10 cm is recommended to increase the production and profits of shallot farming.

In the vegetable preservation process, baking treatment is commonly applied to enhance the end-product quality. This study was carried out to observe baking influences as an alternative pretreatment toward dried beetroot quality. A completely randomized design with different baking times (0, 15, 30, and 45 min) at 200°C was adjusted on beetroot before sliced and dried (50±5°C, 24 h). The result showed that baking treatments significantly affected the whole quality attributes of dried beetroot. There was an increase in anthocyanin, total phenolic, total sugar, and pigment intensity of dried beetroots with the more prolonged baking treatment. Dried beetroot prepared by 45 min baking treatment contained total anthocyanin 109.57 mg/100 g, total phenolic 8.66 mg/100 g, and total sugar 5.13%. Baking treatment for 45 min also resulted in intense color development of redness (a*) and yellowness (b*), although the lightness (L*) reduced due to dark color formation.

The Highland of Magelang Regency has a strategic role as a vegetable production center in Central Java. Farmers in the highlands of Magelang cultivate various types of vegetables. Since highland vegetable farming hugely depends on rainfall as a primary water source, climate change remarkably affects farming. Vegetable farmers often encounter problems due to climate changes in drought and highly intense rainfall, which caused crop damage. Since specific studies on vegetable farmers’ adaptation strategies to cope with climate changes and their economic effects are still limited, this research aimed to study the phenomenon. The observation was performed by interviewing all members (20 farmers) of the Mutiara Organic farmers group in Sumberejo Village, Ngablak Sub-Regency, Magelang Regency, conducting field observation and soil analysis in September-November 2018. The results showed that farmers developed several adaptation strategies to deal with climate change, namely applying multiple cropping systems, developing organic agriculture, growing vegetables under plastic shelters, and expanding a vegetable nursery as an alternative source of income. Farmers cultivated extra crops in the wet season due to abundant water availability. Organic vegetable farming, which began in 2013, from the higher value of the benefit-cost ratio, was more profitable than non-organic farming. Besides, organic farming’s land quality was also better based on organic carbon (C-organic), Nitrogen (N), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), and other nutrients. Therefore this study recommended to develop organic vegetable farming on a broader scale and seriously support farmers’ vegetable nursery business, since it was profitable, contributed significant income for farmers, and strategic for vegetable farming industries development.

The study aimed to analyze the effect of organic fertilizer, biochar and hormone to the bulb splitting in cultivation of true shallot seed. The research was conducted in Grobogan Regency, in March-June 2019. The applied experimental design was Split-Split Plot with three replications. The main plot treated with organic fertilizer (P) consisted of P1=5 t/ha, P2=10 t/ha, and P3=20 t/ha, the subsidiary plot treated Biochar (B) marked B1=without Biochar and B2=Biochar 12.5 t/ha, and the sub-subsidiary plot was treated with Hormone (H); H1=without hormone, H2=with hormone; altogether were 12 treatment combinations and 36 experimental plots. Parameters observed were plant height, number of leaves, number of plants/clump, number of bulbs/clump, number of bulbs splitting, bulbs diameter, and dry weight of bulb/clump. Data were analyzed statistically using ANOVA, and if there was a significant difference between treatments, it was tested with the Duncan Multiple Range Test at a 5% level. The results showed that the provision of biochar as many as 12.5 tons/ha positively affected the growth components and the yield components of true shallot seed (number of plants/clump, number of bulbs/clump, number of bulbs splitting, bulbs diameter, and dry weight of bulb/clump).

Farmers commonly use seed bulbs in shallot farming. Therefore it is required to conduct a demonstration plot to promote the technology of true shallot sheet (TSS). The study aims to determine the performance of the newly seedling technique and determine the perceptions and preferences of farmers towards shallot farming, in Padang Village, Tanggungharjo Sub- District, Grobogan District, in September - November 2018. The study used a demonstration plot of shallot farming using seedling and survey methods to the 30 shallots farmers. Financial analysis (BCR and MBCR) was used to determine the performance of shallot farming, while farmers' perceptions and preferences were analyzed descriptively with scoring techniques. The results showed that even though the cost of shallot farming using seedling was higher, it resulted in higher production (BCR 2.76 vs 0.25). The TSS using as planting material against bulbs was also beneficial since the MBCR value was 5.64, implying that the seedling technique was more profitable than seed bulbs using. With these significant results, farmers stated a high perception of shallot farming using seedling, indicated a high level of preference, which is 73.33 - 93.33%. Based on these results, the government should widely disseminate the TSS to shallot farmers.

Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture in 2013 launched agricultural bio-industry policy for sustainable development, which is targeted in 2045. Bio-industry as the agricultural policy is interesting since bio-industry commonly associated and practiced by giant industry or a multinational corporation. Its contrasts with Indonesian condition, which the farmers only have a small land or even land-less. As a solution, AIAT Central Java developed a bio-cycle approach that accorded to the bio-industry concept and suitable under small farmers’ circumstances. The bio-cycle model was developed from the previous integrated crop-livestock systems approach. The approach was based on the following principles, i.e. (1) reduce biomass loss and external input by using all of the agro biomass as feedstock, (2) reuse residual biomass and processed waste and (3) recycling final products, waste products, and processed products. The bio-cycle approach has been implemented in Central Java Province, both in irrigated and in high land areas since 2015. The implementation of the bio-cycle approach under farmers’ circumstances was promising. Aside from the increasing of farmer’s income and farming efficiency, it is possible to develop sustainable bioenergy in rural areas through the implementation of this approach.

Abstrak Kabupaten Kendal merupakan salah satu sentra produksi jagung di Provinsi Jawa Tengah dengan produktivitas yang lebih tinggi dibandingkan produktivitas provinsi. Produktivitas tersebut diperoleh petani melalui penggunaan input produksi secara efisien. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui keragaan teknologi usahatani jagung, mengetahui efisiensi dan sumber inefisiensi serta penyebaran efisiensi berdasarkan sumber-sumber inefisiensi. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Desa Wirosari, Kecamatan Patean, Kabupaten Kendal pada bulan Agustus – November 2018. Penelitian menggunakan data primer yang diperoleh melalui metode survey pada 30 petani responden. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis dengan fungsi produksi stochastic frontier. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa efisiensi teknis usahatani jagung masih rendah dengan rata-rata 0,57. Rendahnya efisiensi ini disebabkan oleh umur dan pendidikan petani, serta pengalaman usahatani. Dengan bertambahnya pengalaman usahatani, umur petani semakin bertambah sehingga efisiensi semakin berkurang karena kemampuan fisik petani semakin berkurang. Disamping dua faktor tersebut, pendidikan yang tinggi justru menjadi penyebab terjadinya inefisiensi usahatani. Oleh karena itu untuk meningkatkan efisiensi usahatani perlu upaya untuk meningkatkan daya tarik di sektor pertanian, antara lain berupa fasilitasi teknologi digital hingga ke pedesaan dan program pertukaran pemuda tani. kata kunci: efisiensi, jagung, sumber inefisiensi, sector pertanian Abstract Kendal District is one of the maize production centers in Central Java Province with higher productivity than provincial productivity. These productivity is obtained by farmers by using production inputs efficiently. This study aimed to determine the performance of maize farming technology, to know the efficiency and sources of inefficiency, and to spread efficiency based on sources of inefficiency. The study was conducted in Wirosari Village, Patean Subdistrict, Kendal District in August – November 2019. Primary data was collected through survey method by interviewing 30 respondents. The data was analyzed by the stochastic frontier production function. The results showed that the technical efficiency of maize farming was still low which was 0.57. The low efficiency was caused by the age, education, and of farming experience of farmer. With the increase in farming experience, the age of farmers is increasing so that efficiency decreases because farmers' physical abilities diminish. Therefore, to improve farming efficiency, efforts need to be made to increase attractiveness in the agricultural sector, including facilitation of digital technology to the countryside and youth farmer exchange programs. keywords: efficiency, maize, inefficiency sources, agricultural sector