This report details the outcomes of work undertaken in West Java, Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi to develop potato and cabbage integrated crop management systems, develop and improve farmer access to quality potato seed and build capacity for adaptive research and development. The report details the results from surveys of 80 potato and 50 cabbage crops covering crop agronomy, yield, economics, post-harvest management and potato seed supply, source and quality. It outlines the constraints to potato and cabbage production, with low soil pH being the major constraint.

Chilli is one of the main vegetables grown in Indonesia, with production increasing at an average rate of 20 per cent per year. This report presents the findings of a value chain analysis of the chilli industry in South Sulawesi, which was undertaken to determine market demand issues facing the vegetable industry in eastern Indonesia. The findings reveal that supply to supermarket gives the highest return to farmers, while the lowest value chain is the channel to traditional markets.

This study identifies potential business partners and investment opportunities for the IFC to consider in future development of the horticulture sector. The report details consumer, distribution and retails trends, horticultural production, exports and imports, processed horticultural products and investment trends and constraints. The report also profiles East Java, South Sulawesi, North Sumatra, Lampung and Bali encompassing regional investment, and constraints and opportunities for future development.

This paper examines the characteristics of small-scale seaweed farming in South Sulawesi, assesses the role of middlemen in supporting seaweed production and marketing, and details the pattern of the local seaweed procurement chain. The research uses data gathered through interviews and focus group discussions with 220 seaweed farmers, as well as traders and middlemen, in Takalar and Jeneponto districts.

In this paper, Widowati et al. estimate the potential area and carbon absorbed in seaweed cultivation in the Takalar water area in South Sulawesi and estimate the increase in the local economy if potential areas were optimally cultivated. The research is based on data collected through satellite imagery, base maps, spatial data and field surveys. It found that existing seaweed cultivation covers less than 10 per cent of the potential area of 59,731 hectares.

Seaweed farming is predominantly practiced in shallow waters where other sensitive ecosystems such as seagrass beds are also likely to occur. This study examined the effect of shading, trampling and varying intensities of seaweed farming on seagrass in a shallow bay of a traditional fishing village in South Sulawesi. Methodology involved manipulating different levels of shading and trampling in experimental plots over a homogenous seagrass bed and experimental seaweed farms of differing farming intensities.

With increasing population density and subsequent increases in fishing pressure, seaweed farming is an alternative income source for coastal villages traditionally reliant on artisanal fisheries. This study is a component of a larger thesis and investigates the impact of seaweed farming on the economy of a traditional fishing village in South Sulawesi. Data was obtained through random semi-structured interviews (n=31) with households.

In recent years, maize cropping in Indonesia has been increasing rapidly at 20-30 per cent per annum, particularly in the lowlands. Yet more areas have the potential for development of maize farming. This paper presents the results of integrated maize management trials conducted in lowland areas of Sidrap regency in South Sulawesi during the dry seasons of 2006 and 2007. Data was gathered through Rural Participatory Appraisals, respondent interviews and secondary data collection.

The demand for maize as food and feed in Indonesia has been steadily increasing. Total national maize production has grown at 4.07 per cent per annum in the last three decades, thanks mainly to the adoption of improved production technologies, particularly hybrid seed. This high production, however, still fails to meet domestic demand and has caused a rapid increase in the net import of maize. This study presents the maize production systems in four major maize-producing provinces in Indonesia: Lampung, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi.

The high prices of new maize seed varieties in Indonesia has prevented some farmers, especially those in remote areas, from accessing high quality seed to increase their yields. This study aimed to accelerate the distribution of new high yield varieties by establishing community-based seed production systems at the village level to produce and provide high quality seed at an affordable price for farmers. Research was carried out in South Sulawesi and West Nusa Tenggara provinces between 2002 and 2004.