Agricultural Practices in East Java, especially Madura Island : Actual Situation of Crop Production

During the period from June to July 1981, a survey of the agricultural practices in Indonesia was made. Observation was made in Middle Java, East Java and Bali Island for the comparative discussion. The results obtained in Madura Island, one of the 7 prefectures of East Java Province, are briefly reported as a comparative study in this paper. The report was divided into 2 parts, i.e., records based on the statistical data, and considerations based on interviews and observations. The results obtained are summarized as follows:Statistical analyses : The largest shares of products in Madura Island for the whole of East Java was of gram (38.91%) and the smallest portion (3.30%) was constituted by paddy rice. This tendency meant that traditional agricultural systems were still maintained and practised in Madura Island. The total product of rice was also peculiarly small in Madura. From the viewpoints of % composition of the total products, cassava, maize, paddy rice and paddy rice in wet season made up to 46.6%, 15.8%, 14.1% and 11.6%, respectively, in the whole of Madura. The relative shares of the respective crop kinds varied from district to district in all the 4 districts of Madura, though cassava was found to be the most dominant crop. Main crops showed remarkable annual fluctuation from year to year. Although the farmers attached much importance to some crop kinds, they were more or less concerned with 6 crops (paddy rice, sweet potato, cassava, maize, sorghum and peanut) through a year.Cropping systems : At least 64 common crop kinds were ascertained as "cultivating status" in Madura during this short trip. Though most of the crops can not be found in the official statistical data, they are regarded as very important crops in these areas. The fact that having more crop kinds means that the agriculture and food types enrich the contents and varieties. Rural and traditional cropping systems were maintained without monocultural cropping systems. Sometimes some of the crops compensated due to the lack of other crops, and these complex cropping systems can get through several barriers. Several contrivances on agricultural practices were found out here, e.g., alternating and mixed cropping systems, relay cropping, cover cropping and reclamations