Developing agribusiness of vegetables and seasonal fruits for strengthening economy of smallholder farmer households post the 2018 earthquakes and pandemic Covid-19 era in upland North Lombok West Nusa Tenggara

Abstract

Abstract The general objective of the research were to analyse the acceleration of economic recovery and food security of smalllholder farmer househols post the 2018 earthquake and COVID-19 pandemic era through empowering farmer groups of dry land horticulture agribusiness based. The specific objective was determining and analysing the effect of the Pentha-helix approach, sinergy among Higher Education Institution, Local Government, Agricultural Extension officer, Bank and private enterprise in empowering farmers. It’s mission were Better Farming, Better Business and Better Living. It was the longitudinal action research by implementing Participatory Action Research. The data was recoded from farmers target groups and 60 smallholder farmers in three villages nearby the pilot project village. The cross classification between food expenditure and sufficiency of energy consumption was used to measure the degree of food security of household. It’s concluded that developing agribusiness of upland horticulture has high potential for reinforcement of economic recovery of smalholder farmer’s household post the 2018 earthquakes and during pandemic COVID-19 era. Implementing Triple Helix and Pentahelix approach have a possitive impact for strenghtening and recovering economy of smalholders farmers households. They were in enough food category which depicted by 85.50% degree of energy consumption. Food scurity based on distribution of household food need was in the category of low expenditure of food (less than 60%). Food scurity of household based on cross combination between the dergree of energy consumption and the proportion of food expenditure were 61% of them were resistance to food scurity, 30.85% of household were vulnerable of food scurity, and 6.20% of households were troubled of food scurity and 61.25% of them were lack of food. They realize that North Lombok region is a tourism destination, so that they have high instrinsik motivation for growing vegetable crops and seasonal fruits. Therefore, supplying high economic value of vegetables and fruits, quality insurance and friendly environment of vegetables and fruits are needed to be sustained through implementing the penta helix approch.