Description

Summary: The General research Goals for marketing aspect are to develop a market linkage at the local and regional levels that builds upon existing marketing strategies, and develop interventions to overcome constraints and make use of opportunities. Specifically in the third year project, the marketing activity focused on providing vegetables market information and facilitate farmers in establishing Katuk (Sauropus androgynus) and Kucai (Allium odorum) production trial plots and their marketing.

Lack of market information, remote location and poor accessibility to production resources are characteristics belong to small-scale farmers in the area. Market survey has been conducted using Rapid Market Appraisal (RMA) to identify market opportunities for selected VAFs (Katuk and Kucai). It is important for farmers to know for which product there is a demand, which quantities and qualities are in demand, when and where there is a demand and at what price.

Bogor is well-known as the biggest supplier of Katuk and Kucai for Jakarta markets. Competitive supplies come from Subang farmers located in Eastern part of Jakarta and can be reach approximately 4-5 hours by land. They offered good quality of Katuk and lower price but the supply was decreasing. During the year the price was quite stable and increased in rain season. The similar situation also happened in Kucai s market. According to this, the Nanggung farmers interested to produce the vegetables and compete in the existing market. Comparison study to established Katuk and Kucai production and marketing close to Nanggung has been conducted. The Goals were to build farmer s skills in best practice farm management based on current farmers experiences and learn how to link to the market. The activity was attended by 30 participants and 5 of them were women farmers. As resulted by RMA, Katuk and Kucai are the most marketable vegetables that can be produced by Nanggung farmers in Agroforestry system. The project has been distributed 50,000 stem of Katuk and 5 kg of Kucai seedling to 3 farmer groups in Sukaluyu, Hambaro and Parakan Muncang villages, Nanggung sub district. There were 4 VAF production trial plots established under the project. The other farmers both from these villages and outside project area also used the market information and planted Katuk by themselves. It is estimated the farmer will generate $2,274/ha/year from Katuk and $2,287/ha/year from Kucai. There is also opportunity for women group to earn US$ 2 per day in sorting, grading and packing the Katuk.

Training on post harvest handling of Katuk is conducted to prepare the farmers in handling their first production and building the women group s skills on sorting, grading and packing the vegetables as required by the market. The activity was participated by 100 people consisting of farmer representatives, village staffs, extension agents, students and project team. To secure the marketing of VAF, the team has facilitated farmers to create market linkage and cooperate with Katuk and Kucai s traders.