The relations between agricultural land conversion and urban farm workers livelihoods

Abstract

The conversion of agricultural land for food in urban areas is a real threat to the region food security and availability. On the one hand, the livelihoods of farm workers are increasingly threatened, and it is easy to switch their livelihoods to other sectors. This study aims to examine the relationship between land conversion and farm laborers' household livelihood strategies to survive in urban areas. This study uses a mix methods approach to analyse relation between the macro data about land conversion rate data with the micro farm labor household livelihood strategy in West Java urban region. The results showed that the main livelihood for urban farm laborers could no longer be categorized, because of the fast and easy dynamics of transitioning from agricultural to non-agricultural livelihoods. This study also shows that the government's efforts are still not effective in suppressing the conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses. The creation of new jobs based on urban agriculture is one solution that needs to be pursued to maintain food availability and the survival of urban farm workers.