Market Pressure Based on International Food Standards in Export-Scale Urban Farming: Political Ecology Perspective

Authors

Kinanti Indah Safitri, Graduate studies on Environmental Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, IndonesiaFollow
Oekan Soekotjo Abdoellah, Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia;
Budhi Gunawan, Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
Yusep Suparman, Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
Parikesit Parikesit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract

Urban farming has been transformed into urban agricultural activities oriented towards optimizing economic benefits through export market involvement. However, the expansion of the market has consequences for farmers. The involvement of urban farmers in export trade causes market pressures that affect agricultural production practices. This research used qualitative research methods. There were 27 informants in this study. Researchers collected data to determine market pressures faced by export-scale urban farmers in Bandung Metropolitan. Data collection techniques used in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. The results showed that the market had put pressure on export-scale urban farmers in Bandung Metropolitan to meet international food standards. The mechanism was constructed to encourage farmers to adopt more environmentally friendly agricultural practices. However, international food standards are mandatory for export requirements. It meant that urban farmers still interpreted implementing international food standards as an administrative formality, not as a scheme of critical reasoning about environmental problems due to intensive agricultural practices. Therefore, market pressure by international food standards implementation is paradoxical and ineffective because farmers interpreted it as meeting export requirements rather than as awareness of farmers' environmental responsibilities to deliver healthy and environmentally friendly products.

Keywords

urban farming, market pressure, international food standards, political ecology

Author Bio(s)

Kinanti Indah Safitri (Graduate studies on Environmental Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia) is a doctoral student in Environmental Science Program, Postgraduate School, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia. She achieved Master Degree in major Environmental Science, Postgraduate School, Universitas Padjadjaran. She has some experiences about field research in scope: community development, social empowerment, socio-agriculture etc.

Oekan Soekotjo Abdoellah (Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia) is a Professor of Human Ecology at Faculty of Social and Political Sciences and Post Graduate Studies, Universitas Padjadjaran. He is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Environment and Sustainability Science-Universitas Padjadjaran. He has published several books and frequently gives invited as a Visiting Professor, Research Fellows and Guest Lecturer at national and international levels.

Budhi Gunawan (Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia) is a lecturer in Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran and in Environmental Science Study Program, Universitas Padjadjaran. As an anthropologist, he has been involving in researches related to socio-ecological and development issues since he joined the Institute of Ecology/Center for Environment and Sustainability Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, as researcher. Having involved in the research of human-nature relation issues, his interest is expanding to political ecology issues.

Yusep Suparman (Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia) is a Lecturer in Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran. He has expertise in Applied Econometrics, Statistical Analysis, Quantitative Data Analysis etc.

Parikesit Parikesit (Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia) is a Professor of Environmental Biology and Biodiversity Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran. He has contributed to research in social-ecological study on biodiversity and small scale bioproduction systems in rural landscape.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Rector of Universitas Padjadjaran, the contributions of participants in Bandung City, West Bandung Regency, Bandung Regency, Sumedang Regency, and Cimahi Regency.

Publication Date

5-8-2022

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5138

Recommended APA Citation

Safitri, K. I., Abdoellah, O. S., Gunawan, B., Suparman, Y., & Parikesit, P. (2022). Market Pressure Based on International Food Standards in Export-Scale Urban Farming: Political Ecology Perspective. The Qualitative Report, 27(5), 1311-1333. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5138