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According to their respective positions, participants at the local, regional, and global actors within the poultry farming sector play strategic roles according to their respective positions. While these roles may integrate and overlap, they can also generate conflicts of interest at both the actor and institutional levels. This study analyses the actors and power relations in laying hen farming in Blitar Regency, East Java, Indonesia. The data were collected using structured interview techniques (interview guides and Matrix of Alliances and Conflicts: Tactics, Objectives and Recommendations questionnaires), observation, documentation, and focus group discussions. The research informants were chosen deliberately based on various sources including farmers, farmer groups, cooperative, central and local government, companies, and traders. This was in addition to informants obtained using the snowball sampling technique such as middlemen, poultry shops (PSs) and other additional breeders. Data validity was determined using source triangulation and method triangulation. The results revealed that the individuals and entities engaged in layer hen farming encompass a diverse range of actors. These include farmers of various scales (small, medium, and large), institutions such as farmer groups and cooperatives, governmental bodies at both central and regional levels, industry representatives such as companies, PSs, distributors involved in producing and marketing day-old chick (DOC), feed, medicines, and vaccines, as well as market participants including local traders and traders operating across different regions. Small-scale and medium-scale farmers have the strongest relationships due to their high dependence on inputs such as DOC, feed, vaccines, and access to markets. The presence of various actors and power relations in laying hen business institutions creates both collaboration and competition in the supply of DOCs, animal feed, medicine, and even in the marketing of eggs from a food security and sustainability perspective.

This study aims to examine the dynamics of subsidized fertilizer management in rice production areas in Sidrap and Wajo districts, South Sulawesi province. Using a case study approach with qualitative analysis, the study combined primary data from in-depth interviews and secondary data derived from various studies and reports from government organizations. The results show that there is a considerable gap between the government’s fertilizer budget and farmers’ actual needs, leading to coverage of only 37%, thus forcing farmers to purchase more expensive non-subsidized fertilizers. The inefficient distribution system results in delays and scarcity. As a result, there will be market and price dualism between subsidized and non-subsidized markets, as well as subsidized and non-subsidized prices. Enforcement of pricing regulations faces hurdles due to the black market. In addition, farmers use the “foster father” system to obtain credit. To improve fertilizer management, the study recommends a multifaceted approach: increased budget allocation, efficient distribution, strong enforcement of pricing regulations, and innovative financing solutions such as the Tani Card. These strategies, along with improved inter-agency coordination, aim to address challenges and increase the effectiveness of subsidized fertilizer policies.

The diverse sources of agricultural extension information do not guarantee increased farmers’ capabilities to adopt agricultural innovations. Consequently, efforts to accelerate the adoption of agricultural innovations should pay particular attention to farmers’ compatibility with different information sources. This study aims to analyze farmers’ perceptions of various information sources about rice commodity innovations and determine the information sources influencing farmers’ capabilities in adopting rice innovations. The study was conducted from June to December 2019 through a structured survey approach with 270 rice farmers in Subang, West Java and Boyolali, Central Java, Indonesia, by using structural equation model analysis. The results showed that rice farmers had positive perceptions of government, private, and self-subsistent extension. The capability level of rice farmers showed that all indicators were significantly different. Farmers could improve their capabilities and sustainability of rice farming by adopting agricultural innovations. Information from government and private extension providers had a positive effect on the capacity and capability of rice farmers. The role of self-subsistent extension was more of a facilitator and did not directly affect the capacity and capability of farmers. Participatory extension activities are recommended as a form of intervention that can improve rice farmers’ capacity and capability in terms of technology adoption processes. The extension activities should be provided as a series, rather than one-off events, so that farmer knowledge accumulates over time through a style and pace to match their skills and level of education.

Fertilizer plays an important role in agricultural production, and up to now it has always been subsidized through the selling price mechanism. This study aims to analyze three related areas, namely, the subsidized fertilizer policy dynamics, the development of subsidized fertilizer highest retail price (HRP), and the effects of its subsidy price changes on rice production. The study uses both the primary data from research in West Java in 2020 and the data from 2016 national farmer panel and also the secondary data. The data analysis was carried out quantitatively, namely, multiple regression analysis and qualitative descriptive studies. The results of the analysis show that the profit value of lowland rice farming is Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). 13.89 million/ha/season and Revenue per cost ratio (R/C) is 1.85. The proportion of fertilizer input cost to the total lowland rice farming cost reaches 10.25%. The analysis of the nationwide impacts of the HRP increase of the subsidized fertilizers by IDR. 300/kg shows the result that there would be a decrease in national rice productivity by 0.09 tons/ha, a decrease in national rice production by 0.94 million tons milled dry rice (MDR/GKG), and a decrease in the national rice harvest area equivalent to 186,219 ha. It is suggested that in the future, some efforts and measures are needed to make the use of subsidized fertilizers to be more effective and efficient. In order to maintain national rice production, a program to increase the harvested areas is needed.