High-valued vegetable farming can increase farmers' income if the vegetables are cultivated in commercial manner. This paper analyses factors that determine farmers' intention to commercialize vegetable farming; and the effect of commercialization on farmers' income. The study used structural equation model to estimate paths affecting farmers to engage commercial farming and its impact of commercial on households' income. Household and farm characteristics, business environment, and market support were hypothesized to influence farmers to commercialize vegetable farming. Data for this study were compiled from a quantitative survey of 360 farm households located in four major vegetable producing regions of Eastern Indonesia. Results indicate that commercial vegetable farming provides economic advantage in terms of increased income. To encourage commercial vegetable farming, vegetable agribusiness terminal with all market infrastructures should be established in the potential vegetable producing regions of Indonesia. AbstrakBudidaya sayuran bernilai tinggi dapat meningkatkan pendapatan petani jika sayuran dibudidayakan secara komersial. Makalah ini menganalisis faktor-faktor yang menentukan niat petani untuk mengkomersialkan usaha tani: sayuran dan dampak komersialisasi terhadap pendapatan petani. Penelitian ini menggunakan model persamaan struktural untuk memperkirakan jalur yang mempengaruhi petani melakukan usahatani secara komersial dan dampaknya terhadap pendapatan rumah tangga petani. Karakteristik rumah tangga dan usahatani, lingkungan bisnis, dan dukungan pasar diduga mempengaruhi petani untuk mengkomersialkan usahatani sayuran. Data penelitian ini dikumpulkan dari survey kuantitatif terhadap 360 rumah tangga petani yang berada di empat daerah penghasil sayuran utama di Kawasan Timur Indonesia. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa usahatani sayuran komersial memberikan keuntungan ekonomi dalam bentuk peningkatan pendapatan. Untuk mendorong usahatani sayuran komersial, terminal agribisnis sayuran dengan semua infrastruktur pasar harus didirikan di daerah penghasil sayuran potensial di Indonesia.

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One of the factors that determines the success or failure of agribusiness is ability of farmers to sell the product. Thus, marketing is an important part of vegetable farming. Good marketing process leads to commercialization, and unsuccessful in this step leads to inadequate income. This study aims to explore the marketing aspects of vegetables using descriptive analysis of vegetable marketing relates issues. The aspects include sources of information, traders, time to sell, use of mobile phone in marketing and the potential constraints.  Marketing characteristics of each region were discussed by comparing and contrasting one to another. Data for this study were gathered from a quantitative investigation of 360 farm households situated in four main vegetable producing regions of rural East Java and Bali, Indonesia. The results show that farmers relied on traders and neighbouring farmers as the trusted sources market information. The ways of farmers to sell the product to the market varied across regions. Commonly, farmers had frequent buyers or costumers to sell the products without any special commitment. In majority, farmers contacted a few of traders to sell the product about three days before harvesting. Highly fluctuation of prices was perceived to be the most important constraint among  other factors limiting good marketing. Thus, there is a need to address such constraints to help farmers to get fairness.

Agronomic and ecological aspects play important roles in vegetable production, because the aspects will be used for determining suitable interventions.This study aims to provide current farmers' practices of vegetable production, particularly for agronomic and ecological aspects of chilli and tomato in four regions of East Java and Bali. This study uses of analytical tool of descriptive approach by comparing and contrasting each production practices across regions. Data were compiled from a field survey of 360 farmers during 2013-2014.Results of analysis were presented in graphical and tabular forms. Farmers mostly selected hybrid varieties of vegetables because of economic reasons, such as high yield, good appearance and high number of fruits. Anthracnose and late blight were perceived as the most important disease in chilli and tomato respectively. Farmers controlled pests and diseases using pesticides. In general, farmers perceived that irrigation was one of limiting factors of vegetable farming. Poor drainage was one of the crucial issues in Bali. Farmers mostly sold vegetable once harvested. Post-harvest handling was still traditional, where farmers still less pay attention on post-harvest, even though they observed the economic advantage of post-harvest. Based on the existing practices, a special extension on vegetable production needs to be formulated appropriately, based on the specific characteristics of each region.

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PurposeA research and development project disseminated ecological technologies to approximately 3,250 vegetable farmers through farmer field schools (FFS) in four districts of Bali and East Java provinces of Indonesia. This article aims to assess the economic sustainability of vegetable production after FFS participation.Design/methodology/approachA survey randomly sampled 500 farmers, comprised of FFS participants (50%) and non-FFS participants (50%). Based on 1,000 farm operations, this analysis employed input-saving technology as the fundamental model examined using the double-difference method. Simultaneous reduction of agrochemicals and improvement of productivity represent indicators of economic sustainability.FindingsResults indicate that pesticide use decreased without jeopardising farm productivity; moreover, vegetable production increased. These findings indicate that the ecological technologies transferred through FFS significantly improved economic sustainability performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study purposively selected farmers who grew tomato and chilli. Thus, the outcomes are not generalisable to other crops.Practical implicationsFFS continues to be an effective method for transferring agricultural technologies to farmer communities. Policymakers are recommended to use FFS for disseminating beneficial and sustainable technologies to broader agricultural communities.Social implicationsThe adoption of ecological technologies provides positive economic and ecological milieus.Originality/valueThis study employs a double-differences approach to verify input-saving technological progress. Therefore, the performance of economic sustainability attributable to the project intervention is theoretically justified.