External factors affecting lowland rice farmers’ use of chemical pesticides in Welala Village, Kolaka Timur Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

This study determined the role of farmer institutions and government policies on farmers’ behaviour in the use of chemical pesticides. Questionnaire was used in as data collection instrument. The research location was Kolaka Timur (Koltim) Regency that has been cultivating lowland rice since the 1980s and become one of the centres of rice production in Southeast Sulawesi and the majority of the farmers are still dependent on pesticides in pests and diseases controlling in rice plants The population of this study was 273 lowland rice farmers. The sampling technique was by simple random sampling of 20% of the total population so that the sample size is 55 respondents. Descriptive data analysis, Spearman rank correlation analysis, and multiple regression were conducted with the SPSS program. The results showed that farmers’ behaviour in the use of chemical pesticides was not as recommended. External factors that influence the behaviour of farmers in the use of pesticides are  the role of farmer institutions in making group rules and so the existence of government policies as the use of chemical pesticides guidelines is recommended.

Keywords: Farmers’ behaviour, pesticides utilization, lowland rice, food security