The Adaptation of Export-Scale Urban Farmers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bandung Metropolitan

Abstract

These days, urban agriculture is more than a hobby. It has expanded into a local commercial business, even to an export scale. However, urban farmers who have commercialized their products must adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, which has impacted many aspects of global life. This research used a mixed-method approach. We collected quantitative data from 107 respondents on the household commercialization index, income level, and education level of export-scale-urban farmers in the Bandung metropolitan area, West Java, Indonesia. We also used qualitative data to determine how farmers were adapting to difficult situations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This information was gathered through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. The results showed that the urban farmers continued to prioritize commercial agriculture during the COVID-19 pandemic. The urban farmers must adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic in various ways, beginning with market access, agricultural management, and strengthening financial resources. There are some conditions where adaptation methods adopted by farmers are not environmentally friendly because the farmers are increasingly dependent on synthetic inputs and use cold storage on open land. Thus, the farmers' adaptation steps to maintain export-scale commercial farming activities in the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic also affect intensive agricultural practices that are not environmentally friendly.