Strategi Bertahan Hidup Petani Karet saat Terjadi Penurunan Harga Karet di Desa Ampung Padang Kecamatan Batang Natal Kabupaten Mandailing Natal

Abstract

Rubber is one of the plantation commodities which plays an important role in Indonesian economic activities. Many rice field areas in North Sumatera have been diverted to become rubber plantations and palm oil plantations. Of 25 regencies located in North Sumatera Province, Mandailing Natal Regency is a regency with the largest rubber plantation which is 78,409.00 ha. Working as a rubber farmer has become a hereditary occupation that leads to society's high dependency on this rubber farming business. The downfall of rubber prices in the last few years has caused the low income of rubber farmers. Due to this shaky economic condition, survival strategies to overcome the problems regarding the life of rubber farmers are required.

Edi Suharto (2009) states that survival strategies to overcome economic shock and stress can be conducted in various ways, namely active strategy, passive strategy, and networking strategy. This research aims to analyze and interpret what strategies rubber farmers take to survive when the rubber price decreases. Descriptive method is employed in this using a qualitative approach. Data are collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and library research. The research informants are rubber farmers in Ampung Padang Village, Batang Natal Sub-District, Mandailing Natal Regency.

The result indicates that there are three strategies used by rubber farmers in order to survive, namely active strategy, passive strategy, and networking strategy. Active strategy is conducted by the rubber farmers by looking for additional jobs, involving family members to take part in working, and optimizing all the resources owned. Passive strategy is conducted by rubber farmers by applying a frugal lifestyle and reducing family expenses. Networking strategy is conducted by the rubber farmers by asking for help from social networks they have, both formal and informal networks.