| dc.description.abstract | The conversion of tea plantations into oil palm plantations by PTPN IV in
Sidamanik District, Simalungun Regency, reflects a complex dynamic of agrarian
politics at the local level. This phenomenon is not merely related to economic
efficiency and corporate interests, but also to social justice and the management of
agrarian resources. This study aims to explain the efforts of the local government
and PTPN IV in responding to community resistance against the conversion of tea
plantations, as well as to analyze the social, economic, and environmental impacts
arising from it. The study employs the Agrarian Politics Theory with a qualitative
descriptive approach, using in-depth interviews, field observations, and
documentation studies involving the local government, local communities, and
PTPN IV representatives.
The results of the study show that the efforts of the local government in
responding to community rejection are limited and have not been in favor of the
interests of the community. Measures such as holding dialogue and mediation,
emphasizing cross-party coordination, and issuing sanctions are considered to be
only administrative and do not result in concrete decisions. Meanwhile, PTPN IV
takes a persuasive and socialization approach, public clarification, relying on
HGU and building an economic narrative that actually causes distrust because it
is considered unilateral and manipulative. In terms of agrarian politics, this land
conversion has a social impact in the form of increasing conflicts and a decrease
in trust in the government; economic impacts in the form of loss of people's
livelihoods and threatened tea tourism potential; and environmental impacts in the
form of increased risks of floods, landslides, and land degradation. | en_US |
