Perception and Motivation of Farmers in the Development of Natural Silk Business in Soppeng Regency Sulawesi Selatan

Abstract

Perkembangan sutera alam belum optimal karena penanganan masalah cenderung secara general dan belum disesuaikan dengan karakteristik sosial ekonomi masyarakat. Di Kabupaten Soppeng, sutera alam dilakoni oleh masyarakat dengan latar belakang sosial ekonomi yang beragam yang dapat mempengaruhi persepsi dan motivasi dalam pengembangan usaha sutera alam. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui persepsi dan motivasi petani dalam mengembangkan usaha sutera alam yang diharapkan dapat menjadi bahan formulasi dalam penyusunan kebijakan persuteraan alam. Kajian dilakukan di Kecamatan Donri-Donri sebagai pusat pengembangan sutera alam di Kabupaten Soppeng. Pengumpulan data menggunakan metode survey dengan wawancara. Pengambilan sampel responden menggunakan metode random sampling terhadap petani sutera alam. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa di Kabupaten Soppeng persepsi petani yang tinggi terhadap usaha sutera alam berhubungan dengan faktor sosial ekonomi seperti lama domisili di desa dan jenis kelamin. Motivasi petani dalam usaha sutera alam umumnya karena usaha sutera alam mudah dilaksanakan, penguasaan teknologi, dan kemudahan mendapatkan informasi. Usaha sutera alam masih memiliki peluang yang besar untuk dikembangkan melalui perbaikan mutu bibit ulat sutera dan mutu pakan ulat sutera. Persepsi masyarakat yang tinggi dan motivasi yang dimiliki perlu dibarengi dengan tersedianya faktor-faktor pendukung agar usaha ini dapat berkembang optimal. Kata kunci: sutera alam, persepsi petani, motivasi petani, Kabupaten Soppeng

Lens on Tropical Sericulture Development in Indonesia: Recent Status and Future Directions for Industry and Social Forestry

“…Indonesia’s sericulture production centers are in several provinces, including West Java, Central Java, and South Sulawesi. South Sulawesi contributes 70–80% of national silk yarn production [ 21 , 43 , 44 ]. Silk production has been developed in Indonesia since 1953 [ 26 ], and mulberry trees began to be cultivated in South Sulawesi in the early 1960s [ 19 ].…”

“…The proportion of labor costs for silk cultivation reaches 73.14% [ 85 ]. Sericulture business actors, especially the upstream sector in Indonesia, are still dominated by people with low levels of education, mostly at an elementary school level [ 17 , 44 , 79 , 135 ]. However, some of them have a high school or undergraduate education [ 41 , 136 ], and the majority are aged between 15 and 64 years [ 137 ].…”

“…However, some of them have a high school or undergraduate education [ 41 , 136 ], and the majority are aged between 15 and 64 years [ 137 ]. Even though education is not the main requirement [ 44 ], the sustainability of silk needs to be supported by an adequate level of education to update technical knowledge, management, and mindset [ 138 ] in the adoption of technology for a commercial business. In its implementation, the upstream sector involves a lot of family labor and does not use wage labor, so it is more of commercial household business.…”

“…Of 9223 Business Farmer Groups in the Social Forestry unit, only 27 focus on sericulture development (West Java, North of Kalimantan, and South Sulawesi); 23 focus on mulberry and cocoon production, and 4 on silk processing [ 139 ]. Farmers carry out sericulture cultivation as a primary or secondary job [ 44 ]. The average income of cocoon farmers is Rp.…”

“…Silk cloth became a traditional costume and a symbol of social status. Silk is used at traditional, religious, and official national events [ 40 , 44 ] and is a mainstay commodity and souvenir typical of South Sulawesi [ 41 ]. Silk motifs and creations also represent the wearer’s position, happiness, and safety [ 149 ].…”