Social and Economic Analysis of Food Crops and Beef Cattle Sub Systems in the Dry Land Area of Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia
Deskripsi:
This article analyzes the social and economic characteristics of two key farming subsystems—food crops (rice) and local beef cattle—in the dryland regions of Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Using an agro-ecosystem framework, the study evaluates productivity, stability, sustainability, equitability, and autonomy across both systems. The findings show that rice farming remains low in productivity and highly dependent on rainfall, with weak stability but strong long-term sustainability supported by local institutions and farmer motivation. Meanwhile, beef cattle systems demonstrate moderate productivity, high stability, and strong cultural and ecological resilience, although access to livestock remains inequitable due to capital constraints. Overall, the study highlights how physical constraints (dry climate, soil conditions) and social factors (knowledge, culture, institutional support) shape the performance and vulnerability of dryland farming systems in Kupang.
