| Abstrak/Abstract |
As a high-value commodity, pepper is currently facing pressures from output price volatility, high input costs, climate change, and low productivity. These challenges are leading to declining interest among farmers and threatening the sustainability of pepper farming. Thus far, farmers have been trying to cope with the existing conditions, but no study has specifically examined the indicators determining the sustainability of pepper farming. This research aims to analyze the key indicators for the sustainability of pepper farming. The study was conducted in West Kalimantan, where 180 pepper farmers and 11 key informants participated. The MICMAC method was used as the analytical tool. The analysis results indicate that the sustainability of pepper farming is significantly influenced by the following indicators: output price, weeds and plant diseases, climate change, agricultural extension services, high-quality seeds, and input costs. These six indicators can disrupt the pepper farming system in the short and long term. Climate change, low production, and soil fertility threaten pepper farming. The study also found that farmer motivation is the most affected indicator in the long-term perspective and tends to decline. Policy implications highlight the need for government and stakeholder involvement in stabilizing pepper prices, ensuring affordable fertilizers, using highquality varieties, and enhancing informal farmer education through extension activities and technical training in pepper cultivation. This research helps group key indicators that can facilitate decision-making to improve the sustainability of pepper farming businesses. This research provides a reference for using the MICMAC method to determine business sustainability indicators in the agricultural sector. |
