The agricultural census is one of the major activities carried out by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS). This activity is carried out once every ten years in the year that ends with the number 3. Just like other censuses, namely the Population Census (SP) with the year ending 0 and the Economic Census (SE) with the year ending 6.
The Agricultural Census (ST) was first conducted in 1963, so ST2023 is the seventh Agricultural Census. This year, the enumeration of respondents started from 1 June to 31 July 2023 which was carried out in all regions of Indonesia.
The Agricultural Census not only records information on agricultural products, but also collects data on several other sub-sectors. Among them are food crops, horticulture, plantations, animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry and agricultural services. The recorded business units include Individual Agricultural Business (UTP), Legally Registered Agricultural Business (UPB) and Other Agricultural Business (UTL).
Anambas Islands Regency is a potential area in the agricultural sector. This is because Anambas has extraordinary marine resource potential. According to BPS in the publication of the Anambas Islands Regency Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) according to business fields in 2018-2022, in 2022 business fields in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors will contribute 30.31 percent to the total GRDP (non-oil and gas) in Anambas. This figure is the second highest figure contributing to total GRDP in Anambas after the construction business field.
In 2022, the population in Anambas who work in the agricultural sector to meet their daily needs will be 23.08 percent. However, judging from data from the March 2022 National Socioeconomic Survey (Susenas), it shows that poverty in Anambas has increased from the previous year. Anambas occupies the top three positions in the Riau Archipelago Province, with a percentage of poor people of 7.51 percent.
BPS recorded that the average labor wage in Riau Islands Province was 4.11 million per month in August 2022. When viewed from the main types of work, the agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing sectors were in the second lowest position, amounting to 2.7 million per month. This needs to be the center of attention for local governments to overcome poverty for workers in the agricultural sector.
The results of the 2018 Inter-Census Agricultural Survey (SUTAS) show that the number of households that control less than 0.5 hectares of agricultural land in the Riau Archipelago Province is 30,755 residents or around 52.03 percent of the total farmer households. The less agricultural land that is cultivated, the results obtained are also less.
The phenomenon of poverty that occurs in the agricultural sector triggers slow regeneration of farmers in the future. This productive age population considers the farming profession unable to provide a decent life in the future. This causes a lack of innovation development and use of technology in improving agriculture in Anambas. The results of the August 2022 National Labor Force Survey (Sakernas), the percentage of the population working in the agricultural sector was 74.77 percent with elementary school education or below. Whereas innovation and technology supported by education have an important role in realizing food security in a sustainable manner.
The President in declaring the Implementation of the 2023 Agricultural Census, at the State Palace, Central Jakarta, Monday (15/05/2023) stressed the importance of ST2023 to be carried out, because the agricultural sector involves the lives of many people. "Policy accuracy requires data accuracy," said President Joko Widodo on this occasion. Updating data in support of government policies in the agricultural sector can be applied to determine the allocation of subsidized fertilizers, for example.
Recording Indonesian Agriculture for Food Sovereignty and Farmer Welfare. This theme was chosen as the ST2023 theme which is the hope for the government to answer strategic issues in the agricultural sector, so that government policies can be more targeted.
Therefore, ST2023 requires support from all parties. The government and the community must work together to make ST2023 successful, in this case the community is expected to provide answers according to field conditions. All stakeholders must also participate in the success of ST2023.
