Adaptation of cassava agribusiness systems during the Covid-19 pandemic (case in Pasar Pedati Village, Bengkulu Province)

Abstract

The cassava agribusiness system involves farmers from upstream to downstream. This study aims to determine the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on the cassava agribusiness system and the adaptation of farmers. The research was conducted from March to April 2021 in Pasar Pedati Village, Pondok Kelapa Subdistrict, which is the center of cassava production in Bengkulu Tengah Regency. Data has collected the conditions of cassava agribusiness system and farmers’ adaptation in pandemic through in-depth interviews involved seven key informants, besides observation and secondary data collections. Data analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the pandemic does not affect the entire cassava agribusiness, disrupted only the marketing and processing subsystem, because: (1) cassava cultivation is a part-time business that low costs input; (2) farmers adjusting the production capacity of cassava chips by the demands of traders; (3) farmers still selling cassava harvests in fresh form even at low prices and making dried cassava (gaplek) to extend the shelf life of cassava. Farmers continued to cultivate cassava in the hope that the pandemic will end at any time in addition to anticipating the fulfilled of family food needs to replace rice as a staple food.