Sodality: Jurnal Sosiologi Pedesaan
Vol. 12 No. 3 (2024): Sodality: Jurnal Sosiologi Pedesaan

Land Conversion and Farmer Exclusion: Land Tenure Change and Livelihoods Transformation in Sukamakmur Village, Karawang Regency

Sonia Aini (Program Studi Magister Ekonomi Pertanian, Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Padjajaran, Jl. Raya Bandung-Sumedang KM 21, Jatinangor, Bandung, West Java, 45363, Indonesia)
Ganjar Kurnia (Departemen Sosial Ekonomi Pertanian, Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Padjajaran, Jl. Raya Bandung-Sumedang KM 21, Jatinangor, Bandung, West Java, 45363, Indonesia)
Dianto Bachiardi (Agrarian Resources Center, Jl. Ski Air No. 20, Arcamanik, Bandung, Jawa Barat, 40293, Indonesia)
Ahmad Choibar Tridakusumah (Departemen Sosial Ekonomi Pertanian, Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Padjajaran, Jl. Raya Bandung-Sumedang KM 21, Jatinangor, Bandung, West Java, 45363, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
12 Apr 2025

Abstract

The conversion of agricultural land in Karawang Regency, particularly in Sukamakmur Village, has significantly disrupted farmers' livelihoods. This study examines the socio-economic changes farmers experienced before and after exclusion from their cultivated lands. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were gathered through interviews with ten informants across different land tenure classes, alongside insights from government officials and stakeholders. The findings reveal that policies favoring industrial development, speculative land sales, and inadequate irrigation infrastructure have driven widespread land conversion. These forces compelled farmers to sell their land, resulting in shifts in land ownership, reduced incomes, and altered livelihoods. Many displaced farmers became tenants, sharecroppers, or laborers, while others left agriculture entirely. Low education and skill deficits further hindered their ability to transition to industrial jobs, exacerbating inequality and poverty. This study highlights the systemic marginalization of farmers and calls for policies to protect their rights and promote equitable rural development.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

sodality

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Environmental Science Social Sciences

Description

Sodality: Jurnal Sosiologi Pedesaan is a scientific journal, focused on Rural Sociological which refers to the key terminology of "Sodality" where the dynamics of the local structures (village/rural) and extra-local has created spaces of social disharmony, thus require the analysis and synthesis of ...