The agricultural sector in West Kalimantan, particularly the food crop subsector, faces significant challenges — not only from technical aspects such as land conversion and low productivity, but also from the condition of its primary actors: the farmers themselves.
Data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) West Kalimantan shows that the majority of food crop farmers remain vulnerable due to limited access to technology, finance, and government support, all of which are essential for their sustainability. This situation is further worsened by the escalating climate crisis, which increasingly threatens the livelihoods of smallholder farmers — the frontliners of local food security.
An Aging Sector, A Declining Productivity
The 2023 Agricultural Census revealed that more than 50% of agricultural business managers in West Kalimantan are over 45 years old. This aging farmer phenomenon poses a serious challenge to generational renewal in food crop farming.
With the majority of farmers now elderly, adaptation to modern agricultural technologies has become extremely limited, resulting in persistently low productivity. Most farmers continue to rely on traditional methods — inefficient, labor-intensive, and less productive.
Low education levels and the lack of continuous training further compound the problem, leaving the food crop subsector less competitive compared to the more industrialized oil palm plantation sector.
According to BPS, only about 20% of farmers in West Kalimantan have adopted modern technology in their agricultural practices. Younger generations, who should ideally lead the sector’s regeneration, are turning away from agriculture — drawn instead to service or manufacturing jobs that promise greater financial stability.
As a result, food crop farming remains managed by an aging population, creating stagnation in innovation and technological application.
Policy Failures and Institutional Neglect
One of the most striking findings in BPS reports is the government’s weak support in improving the capacity of food crop farmers.
Although programs such as fertilizer subsidies and financial aid are often promoted, their implementation has failed to effectively reach smallholder farmers in rural areas. Many still struggle with limited access to capital, technology, and markets — leaving them trapped in cycles of poverty.
The government’s attention is disproportionately focused on the oil palm industry, which generates substantial export revenue. Large-scale investment and infrastructure policies favoring palm oil expansion have marginalized food crop farmers, who continue to operate with minimal facilities and policy backing.
The conversion of agricultural land into plantations is a visible indicator of this neglect. Productive rice fields are increasingly transformed into oil palm estates under the guise of economic gain, without considering the long-term consequences for local food security.
In addition, many areas in West Kalimantan still rely on natural irrigation systems, which are highly vulnerable to extreme weather events such as floods and droughts — both of which are becoming more frequent due to climate change.
At the Frontline of the Climate Crisis
The climate crisis has exacerbated the precarious condition of food farmers. Erratic rainfall, floods, droughts, and fires directly disrupt crop productivity.
Rice farmers, for instance, often suffer severe losses from inundated fields or prolonged dry spells that delay planting. Changing weather patterns have also led to more frequent pest outbreaks, further reducing yields and increasing uncertainty.
These climate threats are compounded by the limited adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers. Those with minimal resources are unable to adopt climate-resilient farming techniques or environmentally friendly practices that could mitigate impacts.
While the agricultural sector bears the brunt of climate change, government mitigation policies remain largely focused on energy and industrial emissions — leaving agriculture, particularly food crops, overlooked.
The absence of dedicated policies to protect food farmers from the impacts of the climate crisis reveals a systemic lack of attention to food security.
Conclusion: The Fragile Future of Food Security
Food crop farmers in West Kalimantan stand at a crossroads — aging, under-resourced, and marginalized in national development priorities.
Without serious intervention, the combined effects of low technological access, weak institutional support, and the escalating climate crisis will continue to erode the foundations of local food sovereignty.
If no structural reforms are introduced, West Kalimantan’s food security — and by extension, Indonesia’s — will face an increasingly uncertain future.
Writers: Muhammad Yamin Adysa Putra & Ersa Dwiyana — Gemawan Activists