Integrated Yard Farming Patterns and Their Contribution to Household Income and Food Consumption in Peri-Urban Nganjuk, East Java

Abstract

Purpose of Study: This study examines integrated yard farming patterns in peri-urban Nganjuk, East Java, and analyzes their contribution to household cash income, food consumption, and non-cash socio-economic benefits. The study positions yard farming as a household-scale integrated farming practice that combines subsistence production, informal exchange, and supplementary income generation.

Methodology: A descriptive survey-based approach was used, supported by field observations and household interviews conducted in 2023. The study involved 150 households with productive yard areas in peri-urban settlements of Nganjuk District. Respondents were selected using stratified random sampling based on yard size. The analysis relied on aggregated field records and tabulated survey results, focusing on commodity diversity, household use of yard products, production costs, cash income, and consumption benefits.

Main Findings: Household yards were used to cultivate vegetables, fruit trees, tubers, medicinal plants, ornamental plants, raise livestock, and maintain fishponds. Most vegetables and fruits were mainly used for household consumption, shared with neighbors or relatives, or exchanged informally. Cash income was primarily generated from commodities with higher marketable surplus, such as livestock, fish, and fruits harvested in larger quantities. Thus, the value of yard farming was reflected not only in cash income but also in food consumption benefits and reduced household food expenditure.

Novelty/Originality of This Study: This study contributes to the literature by distinguishing cash income, household consumption benefits, and informal social exchange in assessing the value of integrated yard farming in peri-urban households.