Social and cultural impacts on farm productivity in CARE projects in Belu district

摘要

The focus of this paper is understanding the influence of sociocultural factors on the productivity of dryland agriculture. Fanners in the target areas where CARE works are still highly influenced by traditional ways. Farmers maintain good and harmonious relationships with the Supreme God, nature, ancestors, family and relatives. Farmers' activity is not highly market driven but rather it is a means to maintain this harmonious relationship. Such a way of thinking impacts on agricultural activities. Farmers are not aiming at increasing production with innovative technology: instead they aim to maintain food security at home until the next harvest. In other words their orientation is not towards high productivity and satisfying markets. To improve the quality of life of farmers, especially through their income, development programs need to increase awareness of the potential advantages of new orientation. Traditional farming, or subsistence farming, is not relevant in the era of globalisation where the emphasis is on competition. Activities could move from purely subsistence farming to more productive farming to supply markets. Those farmers who are open to innovative technology could increase production and maintain high quality products and continuity of supply. Development programs should improve market networks for farmers because supply to markets would be a factor driving increased production. Sociocultural values are only a moral force to maintain identity. The writer favours adopting the slogan: a new mentality is more important than new science and new technology.