Jumat, 13 Januari 2012

FARMERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF USING STRAW FERMENTATION TECHNOLOGY FOR BEEF CATTLE FEED IN BULUKUMBA, SOUTH SULAWESI

Agustina Abdullah1 and C. Imam Sutrisno2

1 Faculty of Animal Agriculture ,Departement of Social Economic, Hasanuddin University.

2Faculty of Animal Agriculture, Departement of food Science, Diponegoro University

Corresponding Email : abdullah_ina@yahoo.com

Proceedings of The 3 International Conference On Sustainable Animal Agriculture For Developing Countries. Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, 26-29 July, 2011

ABSTRACT

Beef cattle in farming systems quantitatively gives a substantial contribution. Meat, milk, labor, leather and manure are products that encompass high economic value. However, the large role requires a high input, especially the need of feed. Good feeding gives good production, so optimal production can be achieved and farmers earn higher incomes. The need of quality feed is a necessity in developing cattle farm. On the other hand. availability of feed, especially forage is very much affected by season, during the dry season the availability is less so that other food source is needed by utilizing agricultural wastes like rice straw whose production is abundant. However, rice straw has shortage, mainly low nutritional value so that there is a necessary of technology introduction to improve the quality of the fermented rice straw as cattle feed. This study aims to assess the perceptions of farmers towards the fermentation technology of rice straw as cattle feed. Research method is a survey method. This study was conducted in Bulukumba district, South Sulawesi. Locating research was done purposively with considerations that rice straw fermentation technology was already introduced at the site.

Research population was cattle farmers and sample was taken as simple random. The sample was as many as 96 people. Data analysis used descriptive statistical (frequency analysis). Based on a study result of the farmers’ perception toward the characteristics of rice straw fermentation technology in Bulukumba district, it shows that technically, economically, and culture-socially the characteristics of rice straw fermentation technology is acceptable to the beef cattle farmers community in Bulukumba district because the technology is simple, can be tested on a small scale, profitable / revenue-increasing and is not against the culture and customs of local farmers. It's just that so far their knowledge on the benefits of rice straw fermentation technologies is still low and still rely on green / natural grass

Keywords: perception, farmers, rice straw fermentation, beef cattle

INTRODUCTION

The role of livestock sector is increasingly important with the increasing population, increasing urbanization and rising incomes and awareness of balanced nutrition. It is estimated that twenty years from now livestock production will grow relatively faster compared to other subsectors in the agricultural sector, which is predicted to produce more than half of total agricultural output. This shows that by the year 2020 there will be a revolution of livestock (livestock revolution).

One of the potential for development of livestock is cattle production, where in the farm system seems to quantitatively give contribution which is quite large compared to the other livestock because of the size of its "Animal Unit". Meat, milk, labor, leather, and manure are products that have high economic value, in addition to social values -cultural and other local traditions. However, the large role that also requires high input, especially in terms of forage needs. Consideration of the market will determine whether farmers will optimize their resources to meet the household needs. For example, the main products of plants needed for human consumption will be used for food and market needs, while the secondary product in the form of straw and other plant waste products of the form of biomass can be used as animal feed. Rice straw for example, as beef cattle feed has showed a great potential through a variety of treatments that can improve the nutritional value as well as its economic value. In other word, reciprocity between crops and livestock in farming systems have historically demonstrated by the role of integration of livestock (cattle) that can maintain the cycle of recycling which gives added value.

However, during the dry season almost every farmer complains about the lack of feed, however in the rainy season despite abundant quantity, farmers complain that the quality of forage decreases. Results of research on forage crop have mostly come to the community, but the farmers either individually or in groups have not been able to carry it out due to various limitations. Fulfillment of feed for beef cattle consumption needs of other food sources such as agricultural and industrial waste utilization, such as rice straw. However, the utilization of rice straw as livestock feed is very limited, due to limitations of rice straw, namely its protein content and digestive value are very low and less palatable. To improve utilization of rice straw as ruminant feed material can be a variety of technologies or treated first, such as by physical treatment, chemical, biological and combinations.

Talking about farm technology is one of the critical success factors of poultry farms, because of technology as a tool to achieve business objectives in addition to livestock farmers as subjects, animals as objects, as well as land and ecological environment as the basis for livestock development. However, some studies indicate that there is a number of farmers in adopting a technology farms adopting only certain components of the overall technology is introduced. Some cause of low farm technology adoption is the added advantage that farmers obtained is relatively less once the technology is adopted, the technology does not have the adaptability or suitability to the conditions of the region, local social culture, and often restricted by farmers such as limitations in terms of capital / cost of these technologies . Likewise with the use of rice straw as beef cattle feed has been done by many people, the majority not only is the application of research results, but also the experience of breeders. However, the utilization of rice straw as feed is not yet optimal and needs assessment about the perception of farmers on rice straw fermentation technologies to improve technology adoption of beef cattle feed.

Rachmat, (2000) states that whether a technology will be adopted or not related to user perceptions of technology. Perception is the experience of objects, events or relationships obtained by concluding information and interpret messages (technology). Wilson (l998), acknowledges the perception is selective so that could be a psychological noise. "We tend to see, hear and believe only what We Want to see, hear and believe"

On the other hand, Rogers (1995) states that the success or failure of technological development is determined by man, whether or not farmers adopt recommended technologies. The process of adoption and diffusion of technology, including agricultural technology can be viewed from a variety of nature that is intrinsic properties such as relative advantage of innovations introduced. The higher the level of relative advantage the faster a technology is accepted by the community. Other properties of the technologies that affect so it can be adopted is the nature of innovation complexity (Complexity), convenience of innovation to be implemented (triability), ease of innovation to be observed (observability), as well as extrinsic properties such as conformity (compatibility) of innovation with the environment. For that an innovation decision, either individually or collectively optionally in the process until the confirmation stage of innovation decision to continue using the technology or to stop it (to adopt or to reject an ongoing basis), depending on the nature of the relevant technology. New technology that provides a relatively higher level of advantage will quickly be accepted as long as it is profitable, the technology should be simple, the results can be observed by others in a relative short time, can be tested on a small scale and is not contrary to the habits and values ​​of local social systems.

This study aims to assess the farmers’ perception towards the characteristics of feed technology of rice straw fermentation in relation to improving technology adoption of beef cattle feed.

RESEARCH METHOD

Research conducted in South Sulawesi Province Bulukumba, which lasted for six months. The experiment was conducted in beef cattle farmer groups in two districts which have different characteristics. Determination of the respondents conducted in two phases (two-stage sampling). The first stage is to determine breeders' groups who have made beef cattle feed technology set intentionally (purposive sampling}. The farmer groups were identified / selected then the second stage of farmers selected as respondents by proportional random sampling. The data collected this study are primary data obtained by using a questionnaire and through focus group discussion.

Measurement of each item is done by scoring questions. The lowest level scored one and the highest level scored three. Score obtained is a total score of all indicators (scale value). To identify the characteristics of rice straw feed technology to increase the adoption of feed technology, there was used valuation / measurement which was divided into three categories, namely high, medium and low for each indicator. Data analysis carried out through a descriptive approach involving weight and percentage.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Farmers’ perceptions on the characteristics of technology

Rogers (1985) states that how fast or slow the adoption of an innovation process is influenced by the characteristics embedded in the innovation itself. Traits or characteristics may include relative advantage, complexity, triability, observability and compatibility of a technology. The result of respondents' assessment toward characteristics perceptions of rice straw fermentation technology in relation to technology adoption of beef cattle feed as shown in Table 1. Results of research on farmers’ perceptions towards the relative advantage in rice straw fermentation technology is that more than 80% of respondents gave the perception that rice straw fermentation technology is proved to improve the quality and farmers’ incomes. This may be because the application of rice straw fermentation technology gives a positive value on the outcome in which rice straw which is given the treatment then proves to improve the quality of that rice straw (Syamsu 2001). Based on the farmers’ assessment / view it can be said that the application of this technology can provide economically relative advantage to its users. From the economic perspective, this technology is feasible for disseminated or diffused to other farmers as part of the efforts to increase farmers’ income.

Based on the results of focus group discussions, some farmers argue that in addition to providing a higher relative advantage, a technology will be adopted if the technology is not complicated / simple (low complexity), can be tested, especially in small scale (trialable) and can be observed by the users of the technology (observable). Farmers’ perceptions on the technology complexity, triability and observability showed respondents giving an assessment that the rice straw fermentation technology is easy to apply. This means that the technology is simple or has a very low level of complexity. Thus the view / perception toward the positive level of technology convenience is expected to be positively related to adoption of this technology. The respondents’ view toward the level where this technology can be tested on a small scale, more than 65% of respondents gave a positive assessment.

Technology trial (triability) is very important for livestock farmers in general. With the technology trial, they prove the benefits and risks of this technology. While the respondents’ views toward a level where the result of technology application can be observed directly by the adopter themselves or others (level observability) is very high as in table 1 above. Triability and observability of a technology are positively associated with rice straw fermentation technology adoption.

Compatibility of a technology is the degree of similarity or innovation linkages with the values, norms and experiences, including the old trick known / owned by the user. Innovation / technology compatibility is positively associated with adoption. Farmers’ perception on the compatibility of technologies such as in Table 1 above where rice straw fermentation technology is perceived by respondents as the compatible technology. This means that the social aspects of this technology can be accepted by society. As shown in table 1, respondents gave a positive assessment that this technology does not conflict with the culture and customs of the local farmers in the technology. However their knowledge on the benefits of the rice straw fermentation technology is still low and the dependence on green / natural grass for fodder is still abundant

The farmers’ positive perception or view toward rice straw fermentation technology characteristics, is sure after trying to apply the technology, because people tend to see, hear and believe only what is seen, heard and believed, based on the experience of objects, events or relationships obtained by interpreting the object (technology). In this case the farmers through the application of these technologies have been invited to see, try and feel themselves the result of the application of this technology then provide their own judgments and decide for themselves, the decision to adopt or to reject the innovation of this technology.

CONCLUSION

Characteristic of rice straw fermentation technology in increasing food technology adoption is technically, economically, socially and culturally acceptable to the community of cattle farmers in Bulukumba district because the technology is simple, can be tested on a small scale, profitable / revenue-increasing and is not against the culture and customs of local farmers. It's just that so far their knowledge on the benefits of rice straw fermentation technologies is still low and still rely on green / natural grass so that the fermentation of feed technologies is feasible for disseminated widely to other breeders.

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Rogers (1995), Diffusion of Innovations (4th ed). Free Press. New York

Rakhmat, J. 2000. Psikologi Komunikasi. Remaja Rosdakarya. Bandung

Setiadi, B, Subandrio, L. C. Iniguez. 1995. Reproductive Performance in Small Ruminant on Outreach Pilot Project in West Java. Animal and Veterinary Science Journal 1: 73-80

Syamsu, J. A., L. A. Sofyan, K. Mudikdjo and E. Gumbira Sa’id. 2003. Daya Dukung

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