Indonesia continues to face food security challenges despite its rich agricultural resources. While the country produces a wide range of food crops, many farming communities still struggle with unstable incomes, fluctuating commodity prices, limited access to markets, and insufficient value addition to agricultural products. Food diversification has therefore become an increasingly important strategy to reduce dependence on staple foods while encouraging the use of locally available crops.
Purple sweet potato has emerged as one of Indonesia's promising local food commodities. Besides serving as an alternative carbohydrate source, the crop contains anthocyanins, natural antioxidants associated with various health benefits. Processing purple sweet potatoes into products such as flour, chips, noodles, and sticks increases their commercial value and creates additional income opportunities for rural households.
The research focused on the UP2K Suka Maju Women Farmers Group in Ajaobaki Village, North Mollo District, South Central Timor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, where members have been producing purple sweet potato sticks since 2016. The community-based enterprise represents a practical example of how local agricultural products can be transformed into marketable food products that support both household livelihoods and regional food security.
To evaluate the business, the researchers collected primary data through field observations, interviews, and questionnaires completed by members of the women farmers' group. Secondary information was obtained from scientific literature, government publications, journals, and other relevant references. The study combined descriptive analysis, farm income analysis, and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis to assess business performance and identify development strategies.
The financial analysis demonstrated that the purple sweet potato stick business remains profitable. One production cycle requires approximately IDR 2,038,500 in total production costs and produces around 250 packages of purple sweet potato sticks. With a selling price of IDR 10,000 per package, total revenue reaches IDR 2,500,000, generating an average profit of approximately IDR 461,500 per production cycle. These figures indicate that processing local agricultural commodities can generate additional income beyond conventional farming activities.
The study also documented the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on production and sales. Before the pandemic in 2018, the farmers' group produced approximately 1,000 packages per month, generating monthly revenue of IDR 10 million. During movement restrictions, production declined to around 450 packages per month, reducing monthly revenue to IDR 4.5 million. As economic activities gradually recovered in 2021, production increased again to approximately 600 packages per month, with monthly revenue reaching IDR 6 million. These findings illustrate how external disruptions can affect small-scale rural food enterprises while highlighting their ability to recover under improved conditions.
The researchers identified several internal strengths supporting the business, including experienced farmers, consistent product quality, ownership of production equipment, and established consumer trust. However, several challenges remain, including limited educational backgrounds, shortages of labor, weak business capital, insufficient market information, and relatively short product shelf life.
External opportunities also provide strong prospects for future development. The availability of raw materials, favorable climatic conditions, and Ajaobaki Village's proximity to tourism destinations create opportunities to expand the market for locally produced food products. At the same time, producers must address potential threats such as product imitation, raw material damage, and future economic disruptions. Based on the SWOT analysis, the business falls within Quadrant I, indicating an aggressive growth strategy supported by both strong internal capabilities and favorable external opportunities.
To capitalize on these opportunities, the authors recommend strengthening farmer capacity through training, improving production management, increasing production volume, expanding marketing networks, and building partnerships with government agencies and other stakeholders. The study also highlights the importance of improving education, technology adoption, and business management skills among farmers to ensure the long-term sustainability of the enterprise.
According to Marsianus Falo and colleagues from Universitas Timor, successful rural agroindustry depends not only on agricultural production but also on farmers' ability to manage businesses strategically, improve product quality, strengthen marketing, and take advantage of emerging market opportunities. Their findings suggest that empowering women farmers through value-added food processing can contribute to both household welfare and national food security. This ethical paraphrase reflects the authors' conclusions regarding sustainable rural agribusiness development.
The study offers valuable insights for policymakers, agricultural extension services, rural entrepreneurs, and food industry stakeholders. Supporting local food processing enterprises through technical training, financial assistance, product innovation, and wider market access could help improve rural incomes while promoting food diversification across Indonesia. The findings also demonstrate how community-based agroindustry can strengthen local economies by increasing the value of agricultural commodities that are already widely cultivated.
Author Profile
Marsianus Falo is a researcher and academic at Universitas Timor, specializing in agricultural economics, agribusiness development, rural development, and farming business strategy. This research was conducted in collaboration with Yosefina Marice Fallo, Melkisedek Bukifan, and Thomas A. Riberu from Universitas Timor, as well as Petrus Kobesi from Universitas Lambung Mangkurat. Together, the research team focuses on sustainable agricultural development, local food diversification, and strategies to improve farmers' welfare through community-based agroindustry.
Source
Article Title: Strategies to Increase Farmers' Food Security Through the Development of Purple Sweet Potato Stick Production in North Mollo District, South Central Timor Regency (Case Study: UP2K Group of Farming Women Like to Advance Ajaobaki Village)
Journal: Formosa Journal of Science and Technology (FJST)
Publication Year: 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/fjst.v5i7.107
Official Journal: https://journalfjst.my.id/index.php/fjst
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