Sustainability of the Sawah Surjan Agricultural Systems in Depok Village, Panjatan Subdistrict, Kulonprogo Regency, Yogyakarta Special Province

Abstract

The south coastal region of Yogyakarta Province (YSP) in Indonesia has inherited a unique farming system called sawah surjan, which is considered as a cultural heritage that demonstrates a form of local wisdom in managing land resources with poor drainage. The local residents have succeeded in realizing their desire of making the farming system ecologically stable and capable of providing a decent living. As a cultural heritage, however, sawah surjan has been under an increasing threat of conversion resulting from the infrastructure development and spreading of urban developments. This study assessed the prospect of sawah surjan in the rural household economy and its sustainability within the context of changing wider environment. To do so, a household survey was conducted covering 41 farmer households in Depok Village, Panjatan Sub-district, Kulonprogo Regency, Yogyakarta Special Province where the existence of sawah surjan is threatened by the large-scale investments. The research show that sawah surjan contributes to employment generation, diverse sources of income, food security, and income redistribution. It is generally sustainable but the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers will have adverse effects on its sustainability. The research confirms that the most significant threat is the infrastructural development, especially the prospective construction of a new international airport as increased land prices may lead to uncontrolled conversion of sawah surjan into non-agricultural uses. This is also in coincidence with the stagnant regeneration of farmers in the area that lead to a bleak future of the system.

The Interaction Between Weed and Arthropods of Agroforestry Ecosystems in Central Java, Indonesia

“…They possess the ability to hinder or displace cultivated plant populations, or they may have ecological and aesthetic significance (Navas, 1991;Colbach et al, 2021). The diversity of weeds is shaped by the weed species' capacity to acclimatize to distinct environments (Rijanta, 2018). Weeds thrive in a wide range of conditions because to their quick germination, rapid regeneration rates, and strong adaptability, which surpass those of cultivated plants (Widaryanto, Saitama and Zaini, 2021).…”

Potential Land Reserves for Agriculture in Indonesia: Suitability and Legal Aspect Supporting Food Sufficiency

“…It is common that land for housing and infrastructure development is obtained from converted paddy fields [6][7][8][9][10], for instance, the establishment of international airports [11][12][13] or the development of toll roads [14,15]. Meanwhile, the growth of cities and peri-urban areas raise land-related issues, such as availability and suitability of land for development, either in Indonesia [16,17] or in other countries such as China [18][19][20][21] and the United States of America [22].…”

Sawah Surjan Environmental Management for Food Crop Diversification in Kulon Progo of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

“…The agricultural land management using the surjan system can be found in Depok Village, Panjatan District, Kulon Progo Regency, Special Region of Indonesia. Surjan system in Kulon Progo was initially applied to overcome inundation and poor drainage problems (Marwasta and Priyono, 2007;Rijanta, 2018;Heryani et al, 2019). Recently, research on the development of agricultural land using Surjan system in other areas has begun (Rijanta, 2018).…”

“…Surjan system in Kulon Progo was initially applied to overcome inundation and poor drainage problems (Marwasta and Priyono, 2007;Rijanta, 2018;Heryani et al, 2019). Recently, research on the development of agricultural land using Surjan system in other areas has begun (Rijanta, 2018). However, there has not been much discussion about the potential of Surjan system and its implication on the environment.…”