Rationality of soybean farmers: the findings from rainfed field agroecosystems

Purpose. This research aims to examine the factors that influence the rationality and income of soybean farmers, especially in rain fed field agroecosystems. Methodology / approach. The research was designed quantitatively with a type of survey on 263 soybean farmers from a total population of 768 farmers spread across Jatiwaras and Pancatengah subdistricts, Tasikmalaya Regency, which is one of the centres for soybean development in West Java, Indonesia. The determination of the farmer sample was carried out proportionally randomly using the Slovin formula with an error rate of 5 %. The data analysed is primary data obtained directly from farmers using a questionnaire with a Likert scale consisting of 5 answer choices. The analytical tool used is Structural Equation Model (SEM) with AMOS to determine the influence between variables. Results. The research results show that: (1) Farmer characteristics have a significant positive relationship with farmer motivation. These characteristics are a strong driving force to increase their motivation in soybean farming to be even better in an effort to increase their income; (2) Farmer characteristics have a significant positive effect on farmer rationality. The older the age, the higher the education, and the greater the burden of responsibility borne by the farmers’ family, the more rational they consider soybean cultivation to be, which means that they will be more cautious in growing soybeans to minimise the risk of losses they may incur; (3) Farmer motivation has a significant positive effect on farmer rationality. The stronger farmers’ motivation in soybeans farming, the more rational it makes them in thinking about farming as well as possible; (4) Farmer rationality has a significant positive effect on income. The more rational the thinking of farmers in soybean farming, in the sense that they can effectively use social networks, efficiently grow soybeans and adopt technology, the more they can increase production, which ultimately increases income. Originality / scientific novelty. This study focuses more on the rationality of smallholder farmers in Indonesia, who have many structural disadvantages, such as limited land ownership, average age of farmers, low education level and many family responsibilities, which are constraints to soybean farming; how smallholder farmers are related to motivation in soybean farming and whether this farmers’ rationality can increase their income, while several previous studies only discussed farmers’ rationality without considering socioeconomic factors, especially smallholder farmers. Practical value / implications. This research provides evidence that there is a relationship between farmer characteristics and motivation which has a significant effect on farmer rationality so that in the end it can increase income. The results of this research have implications for government policies in efforts to increase farmers’ income by increasing their capacity through intensive and sustainable agricultural extension activities. The existence of more intensive and sustainable agricultural extension activities can increase the knowledge and insight of small farmers in soybean farming, which in turn can motivate farmers to think and act more rationally so that they can better optimise all the resources they have.