Development Protected Cultivation in Horticulture Product: Feasibility Analysis in West Java Province

Abstract

The development of agricultural system cannot be solved only through technological changes but also necessary to change the strategy of agricultural system as a whole. The aim of this research was to assess the factor of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis that can be used to identify relevant economic, ecological and societal (EES) issues for the assessment of sustainable development in protected cultivation in West Java Province. The potential of protected cultivation was higher energy productivity than open field production, indirect energy and renewable energy were the main source of energy. The ratio of output to input energy was higher in greenhouse production (0.85, 0.45 and 0.49) than open field (OF) vegetable production (0.52, 0.175 and 0.186) for tomato, and chili. Financial analysis revealed higher mean net returns from greenhouse vegetable production as 7043 $/ha (922-15,299 $/ha) when compared to 563 $/ha (43-1,172 $/ha) from open field vegetable production. Among the greenhouse vegetables, tomato cultivation was the most profitable in terms of energy efficiency and financial productivity. Generally, reducing pest and disease in vegetable production is a main expectation from newly adopted technology. Limited land holding size of agricultural fields, high capital investment and lack of infrastructure were the constraints in improving their production through new technology. Low price of the product and lack of adequate market were also the other problems with vegetable production. Inadequate government support in term of training and financial support to farmers in certain areas make it difficult in protected cultivation technology. Capacity building of farmers, research and development on protected cultivation, manufacturing and financial sector support, supporting an efficient and adequate marketing system of protected cultivation product, and development of an agribusiness area especially for export commodities are the strategies suggested to develop and improve technology in cultivation toward sustainable agriculture.