Access of small farmers indigenous vegetables to high value markets
Awang Maharijaya1,2, Endang Gunawan2, Heri Harti2, Anas Dinurrohman Susila1,2

1 Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Bogor Agricultural University, Jalan Raya Darmaga 16680 Bogor, Indonesia
2 Center for Tropical Horticulture Studies, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Baranangsiang Jalan Pajajaran Bogor - 16144, Indonesia
3 Corresponding author- email: awangmaharijaya[at]apps.ipb.ac.id

Abstract

Indigenous vegetables can be defined as native vegetables to the area that has been commonly cultivated and consumed by local people. Since it is very local specific, the utilization of these vegetables is very low and even can be seen as neglected or abandoned. The objective of our study was to study the possible programs to increase the use of indigenous vegetables which can benefit both farmers and consumers. The study was done in three main activities: 1) selection of indigenous vegetable collections based on the farmer and consumer or market preference, 2) verification and implementation of good agricultural practices and good handling practices (fresh handling), including the seed production system, 3) dissemination of the best production techniques to farmers and market penetration of the product produced by the farmers. Some vegetables were selected by farmers and industries to be developed i.e. bean, cowpeas, basil, and pohpohan. Therefore the further designed programs were based on these vegetables, i.e. selection of varieties that are adaptive to the sub-optimal condition, mass field production technology, seed production, exploring the health benefit content of selected vegetables, and dissemination and commercialization.

Keywords: agribusiness, basil, bean, community, cowpea, dissemination, empowerment, pohpohan,

Topic: Food and Nutrition Security