BIO PRODUCT-BASED ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY RICE CULTIVATION TECHNOLOGY INCREASES RICE PRODUCTIVITY AND FARMERS' INCOME IN INDONESIA

Environmentally friendly rice cultivation (EFRC) is an innovative technology for irrigated rice cultivation based on bio products that can optimize the potential of agricultural resources in situ, so that the soil becomes fertile and preserves land resources and the environment. The application of EFRC technology can increase rice productivity to support government programs in the context of realizing sustainable self-sufficiency in Indonesia. The research objective is to apply technically and economically EFRC technology before it is widely developed in Indonesia. The purpose of this study is to determine the level of technical and economic feasibility of implementing EFRC technology before it is widely developed in Indonesia. The study was conducted in West Java Province using the On Farm Client Oriented Adaptive Research (OFCOAR) approach. The experiment was carried out by applying the EFRC technology package by cooperating farmers on an area of 10 ha, then the results were compared with the technology commonly applied by farmers (existing) before the study. Parameters assessed were agronomic performance (plant height, harvest age, number of grains/panicles, weight of 1,000 grains, and productivity), yield gap, and financial feasibility (income, RCR, and BCR). The results of the study showed that by applying EFRC technology, the agronomic performance of rice plants (plant height, number of grains per panicle, weight of 1,000 grains) was close to and some even exceeded the yield potential of the varieties planted. The average rice productivity increased by 23.62% and was financially profitable with an R/C Ratio greater than one, compared to existing technology. Thus, EFRC technology is technically and financially feasible to be developed more widely in Indonesia. There are still individual farmer factors that can produce yield gaps, so that before the program development is implemented, technical guidance and/or training to farmers is needed.