Factors determinants of pesticides use and disease management practices adopted on chili farming in Central Java, Indonesia3

Abstract

This paper analyzes factors that determine level of pesticide use in chili farming in Central Java. Chili is intensively cultivated in Central Java, and so farmers also apply very high doses of pesticide on chili field. However, there is a wide variation on level of pesticide use across farmers and across the locations within the province. Using a theory of subjective economic threshold (ET), we have analyzed here factors affecting pesticides use decision of average farmers. Data for this study were compiled from a project–led baseline survey conducted in Central Java in early 2008, which involves individual survey of 160 chili growing farm households from three districts: Magelang, Brebes and Rembang. The results show that factors leading to higher doses of application of pesticides are market price of chili, number of insect pests on the field as observed by farmers, non-hybrid variety of chili grown, and more frequency of spray (number of spray) in a season, cocktail method of pesticide spray, and production location. On the other hand, factors that contribute in less use of pesticides use are increased prices of pesticides, higher level of farmers’ education and long years of farming experience, more number of diseases observed by farmers, and large acreage cultivated to chili. On an average, farmers are using about 12 kg of pesticide per hectare of chili, and it varies from 22 kg/ha in Brebes to 5.3 kg/ha in Rembang site. To reduce pesticides use (per hectare basis) in chili farming, farmers need more training and exposure to the improved crop management practices, growing resistant to common pests and diseases, reduce the frequency of spray and apply single method of targeted pesticide.