Description

Executive Summary: The creation of market linkage for vegetables was selected as an entry point to strengthen smallholder vegetable agroforestry systems in Nanggung, West Java, Indonesia. Katuk (Sauropus androgynus) was selected as priority vegetable based on strong market demand. Rapid market surveys established that Jakarta area markets need about 2 tons per day of fresh Katuk, while the pharmaceutical industry requires about 4 tons per week of dried Katuk. Project marketing activity focused on monitoring and evaluating progress of smallholder Katuk production and marketing. The project team assisted local farmers evaluate their existing farming systems, socioeconomic resources, and market opportunity in regarding to Katuk production and markets. Farmer groups (a total of 30 farmers) in three villages Parakan Muncang, Hambaro and Sukaluyu agreed to try market-oriented production of Katuk. Production was focused on 1 or 3 farmers land with management conducted by all group members.

In Year 3 of the Project, 60,000 cutting of Katuk had been distributed to farmers group in three villages. At the time of this report, participating farmer groups had produced and redistributed over 75,000 katuk cutting to other farmer groups. The cuttings were redistributed as a form of social commitment, enabling the number of farmer participants to grow to 100 individuals.

Katuk did not grow well in Sukaluyu village primarily because of insufficient maintenance, which negatively effected yields and increased problems with insects and disease. As a result three Sukaluyu farmers terminated their participation in the Katuk activity. The insect pests were identified by the team and farmers. Guidance regarding how to manage the pests has been requested from the IPM team. Women farmer group in Hambaro and the Lestari farmer group in Parakan Muncang have demonstrated good progress in developing Katuk farms. In each village Katuk has already been harvested four times. While Katuk production and quality has improved in each village, quality has not yet achieved the specifications of the Jakarta-Tangerang markets, which are the most lucrative. As a result, the farmers have been disappointed by receiving prices lower than originally promised. An increase in transportation costs, primarily resulting from higher fuel prices, also negatively effected farmgate prices. Undaunted, farmers endeavored to conduct market survey using RMA (rapid market appraisal) approach to identify an alternative market. Farmer confidence and capacity to conduct the RMA survey was the direct result of training received in Year 3. The Marketing team provided guidance to the farmer group in designing and implementing the survey, as well as analyzing the data. The farmer-led survey found that Leuwiliang market, located in a neighboring subdistrict that serves as an intermediate node in the Nanggung-Bogor-Jakarta value chain, offered better prices compared to village collectors. This demonstrates the positive impact of project marketing activities.