Agricultural Modernization and Mechanization as a Strategy to Increase National Food Production
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62894/mnj4ew94Keywords:
agricultural modernization; mechanization; food production; farmer response; socio-technical transformation; smallholder farmers; Indonesia.Abstract
This study analyzes agricultural modernization and mechanization as strategies for increasing national food production in Indonesia, with particular attention to implementation dynamics and farmer responses to technological change. The study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with policy implementation and socio-technical analysis. Data were collected through document analysis of government policy documents, BPS Agricultural Census data, Ministry of Agriculture reports, academic literature, and relevant studies on mechanization, precision agriculture, farmer adoption, and food production policy. The findings show that mechanization has strong potential to improve production efficiency by accelerating land preparation, planting, harvesting, irrigation support, and post-harvest handling. However, the effectiveness of mechanization depends on technology suitability, farmer access, operator availability, maintenance capacity, financing, and institutional support. The study also finds that smallholder farmers face specific barriers to mechanization because of fragmented landholdings, limited capital, high rental costs, and unequal access to machinery services. Farmer response is shaped by perceived usefulness, perceived cost, land size, labor availability, trust in technology, and the role of farmer institutions. The novelty of this study lies in framing agricultural mechanization as a socio-technical transformation rather than a purely technical production strategy. The study concludes that mechanization can strengthen national food production only when it is inclusive, locally adaptive, and supported by farmer-centered service institutions.
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