Chandra Indrawanto

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern agriculture has attracted increasing attention since its automation has the potential to accelerate food production with efficiency in resource use. Fuzzy logic, as one AI method, can be applied in hydroponics as an automation function of a nutrient mixing machine. There have been some inventions of nutrient mixing machines in commercial-scale agribusiness but not yet at the level of the small and medium farms that are mostly found in developing countries. This study constructed a hydroponics nutrient mixing machine employing a fuzzy logic method, calculated the machine’s efficiency, and evaluated its economic application. The automated nutrient mixing machine using fuzzy logic was efficient, and both theoretical field capacity and actual field capacity indicators were higher with the use of the nutrient mixing machine compared to manual nutrient mixing. This machine saves 78% of the labor normally used for mixing nutrients, with a saving of up to 42.86% in the nutrients used compared with mixing manually.

This study provides input on strategies and policies that need to be taken to develop the cocoa industry in West Sulawesi Province. SWOT, IFE and EFE analysis have been used to determine the best strategy for developing cocoa industry in West Sulawesi. The results found 5 strength, 6 weakness, 4 opportunity and 4 threat factors. The IFE and EFE analysis show that strategy that needs to be taken is the development (SO) strategy. Policies that need to be followed are (1) Provision of superior seed sources through the establishment of cocoa seed garden, (2) Conducting cocoa rejuvenation programs along with spacing programs, (3) Increasing extension activities to disseminate GAP cocoa innovations, (4) Increasing role of Farmers Group in Fulfilling farm financing of its members through the establishment of savings and loan units supported by BumDes, (5) Increasing role of Farmers Group to ferment cocoa using GMP innovation through the establishment of processing units and profit sharing system with cocoa owners, (6) Increasing role of Farmers Group in cocoa market by establishing a marketing unit. Members of Farmers Group can sell cocoa to wholesalers through Farmers Group to increase their bargaining position.

ABSTRAKSebagai produsen mete, agroindustri mete di Indonesia masih belumberkembang. Sekitar 36% produksi masih diekspor dalam bentukgelondong. Pengembangan agroindustri mete yang mengandalkan industribesar tidak berjalan baik. Untuk itu perlu dicari pola yang tepat untukpengembangan agroindustri mete. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatansystem dengan menerapkan metode AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process)untuk menentukan skenario terbaik pengembangan industri mete nasionalyang kuat. Akuisisi pendapat pakar dilakukan dengan wawancara intensifdan melalui FGD terhadap tujuh pakar di Bogor pada bulan Februari 2007.Faktor penentu keberhasilan pengembangan agroindustri mete dengantingkat kepentingan relatif tertinggi adalah ketersediaan bahan baku.Faktor ini sangat ditentukan oleh kinerja aktor petani dalam usahataninya,sehingga aktor petani memiliki tingkat kepentingan relatif tertinggi diantara ketiga aktor penentu. Kinerja usahatani ditentukan olehterpenuhinya obyektif dari aktor petani terutama obyektif pendapatanusahatani yang baik. Dari ketiga skenario pola pengembangan industrimete, pola industri dengan basis industri kecil skala rumah tangga untukpengacipan yang ditunjang industri pengolahan kulit mete ditingkatkabupaten sentra produksi mete dipilih sebagai pola terbaik karena dapatmemenuhi seluruh obyektif petani dengan baik. Kebijakan yang perludiambil dalam membangun industri mete dengan pola terpilih adalahdengan membentuk klaster industri mete di kabupaten sentra produksimete, meningkatkan pendapatan petani melalui pengenalan budidayaanjuran, tanaman sela dan diversifikasi hasil, serta mendorong per-dagangan kacang mete ke negara-negara terdekat pengimpor kacang meteseperti Australia, Jepang, Uni Emirat Arab dan Arab Saudi.Kata kunci : Jambu mete, Anacardium occidentale, AHP, agroindustri,klasterABSTRACTAssortment of patrons of cashew agroindustrydevelopmentAs a cashew producer, Indonesia’s cashew agroindustry has notbeen developed yet. Around 36% of cashew production is exportedwithout being processed. For that reason, a proper patron of cashewagroindustry development should be found. This research used systemapproach. AHP method had been applied to judge the best scenario of thepatron of cashew agroindustry development. Acquisition of expertjudgement had been done by intensive interview and FGD to seven expertin Bogor in February 2007. The analysis showed that raw material ofcashew supply is the most important determinant factor in developingcashew agroindustry. Performance of this factor is depend on theperformance of farmers in managing their farming. This condition putfarmers as the most important actor in developing cashew agroindustry.The performance of the farmers depends on how the scenario can fulfillthe objectives of the farmers. From three scenarios judged, cashewagroindustry based on home industry in cashew central productionregencies is the best scenario that can fulfil all objectives of the farmer.Policies should be taken in developing cashew agroindustry using thisscenario are: building clusters of the cashew industry in cashew centralproduction regencies, Increasing farmers income from their farming byintroducing good farming systems, intercropping, product diversificationof cashew and increasing cashew nut export to importer countries such asAustralia, Japan, Uni Emirate Arab and Saudi Arabia.Key words: Cashew, Anacardium occidentale, AHP, agroindustry, cluster