The sustainable agricultural mechanization of rice farming and its impact on land productivity and profit in Lampung Tengah Regency

The mechanization of rice farming has been fast developing since implementing the special effort (Upsus) program in 2015. Through this program, many combine harvesters and four-wheel tractors had been distributed to the farmer groups. This study's objectives were to know the practice of sustainable agricultural mechanization, know its impact on land productivity and profit for rice farming, and know whether sustainable agricultural development in Lampung Tengah Regency. This study was conducted at three sub-districts, Central Lampung Regency, in August and September 2020. Respondents were 108 farmers with 359 observations since each respondent was interviewed for 3-4 previous planting seasons, and an observation was a rice farm in a planting season. To know the practice of the mechanization, the data were analyzed descriptively. To know its impact, the data were analyzed using two multiple regression analysis models, each of which the dependent variable is productivity and profit. The independent variables for these two models were the mechanization types, the treatment variables, and the planting seasons and location, which were the control variables. The results revealed that the 4-wheel tractors were more efficient than that of the 2-wheel tractors. Combining harvester (CH) was the most efficient in harvesting than that of manual cutting and thresher and full manual harvesting. The results revealed that statistically, with the level of significance (α) by 1%, the combined harvester's use increased the average productivity by 0.16 tonnes/ha or almost 3%, i.e., from 5.51 tonnes/ha to 5.67 tonnes/ha. They increased the average profit by IDR2.44 million/ha or 40%, i.e., from IDR6.10 million/ha to IDR8.54 million/ha. These findings revealed that the use of a tractor together with a combine harvester was sustainable agricultural development.