The effect of Integrated Pest Management Farmer's Field School on The Use of Chemical Pesticides and Economic Feasibility of Rice Farming System in Siak Regency

ABSTRACT Integrated Pest Management Farmer’s Field School (IPM‐FFS) is a program of human resources improvement which leads to empowering aspects of environmentally sound farming communities. To assess the effect of the implementation of the IPM‐FFS, it is necessary to evaluate the changes in knowledge, attitudes and behavior of farmers in applying the four principles of IPM. One of the purposes of the implementation of the IPM‐FFS is to reduce the use and application of chemical pesticides appropriately. The study was conducted from January to April 2018 in four districts of rice development centers in Siak Regency, Riau Province. The sampling technique used purposive sampling, with total sample 80 farmers consisted of40 IPMFFS alumni and 40 non‐alumni farmers.The evaluation showed that after IPM‐FFS was implemented, the percentage of farmers adopting IPM technology increases, on the application of cultivation of a healthy crop on alumni more than 79 % except for the use of fertilizer with a sufficient applicationdose of only 75 % and non‐alumni an average of 65 %.IPM FFS alumni also practiced rice agro ecosystemobservation regularly, and understood the existence of natural enemies and their preservation. In controlling the pests, most farmers applied preventive methods by practicing healthy crop cultivation, chemical pesticides are applied if pest attacks have reached the economic threshold, and this condition causes the use of chemical pesticides to decrease. The calendarsystem of using chemical pesticides regularly without regard topests’existence, for alumni was practiced by 65 % to 0% and non‐alumni from 95 % to 40 %. Rice productivity for alumni increased by 18.18% and non‐alumni 12 %. Alumni revenue increased by 18, 2 % and net income increased by 29, 7 %, non‐alumni of 12, 00 % and net income increased by 22.7 %. The R/C value of alumni also increased by 13, 2 % and nonalumni 11, 27 %