| Abstract | The study assessed the typology of farm households, energy consumption and production cost of chili, tomato and lettuce in two regencies of West Java province, Indonesia. Interviewing of 530 vegetable farmers during Jan – Dec., 2010 in Sukabumi (medium and highland) and West Bandung regency (highland), West Java Province, Indonesia was used to collect primary data. The results of typology indicate that the farmers could be classified into three, four, and two groups of typical farm households in medium land Sukabumi Regency, highland Sukabumi Regency, and West Bandung Regency of West Java Province, respectively. PCA identified 5 factors that account for 68% of the total variability in medium land of Sukabumi regency. Three clusters were identified in cluster analyzing. Cluster 1 is characterized by a higher level of education households head with large farm size, higher yield, and higher return per ha. They were also extensive users of technology for drainage, pruning and pest disease management. The second type represents households with less educated, smaller farm size and higher level of fertilizer uses. The third type is characterized by a high level education of farm households with higher degree of adopted technology except fertilizers. In highland Sukabumi regency, 6 factors influenced on adopting new technology which accounts for 64% of total variability and 4 clusters were formed by using PCA and cluster analysis. The first cluster represents households with a large farm size, and higher degree of adopted technology on pruning and pest disease management. The second type represents a relatively younger head of household with the smallest farm size and technology adopted on fertilizers. The third type is characterized by households with older men, and the adoption of technology is only for pest and disease management. The fourth cluster is headed by the youngest farmer and with less experience in the agricultural field. The only technology adopted within this cluster is fertilizer. PCA identifies 7 factors that account for 70% of the total variability in highlands of West Bandung regency. Results from cluster analysis led to identify two clusters. The first cluster is characterized by households with a large agricultural production but low level of adoption of technology. The second type represents households with smaller agricultural area but higher rate of adoption in drainage systems, pruning, fertilizing, and pest and disease management. Analysis of energy consumption reveals that the total input energy used in greenhouse (GH) production of tomato, chili (medium and highland) and lettuce were 47.62, 41.55, 58.84, and 24.54 GJ/ha respectively. Whereas, the requirement of total input energy for open field (OF) production of tomato, chili (medium and highland) and lettuce were 49.01, 41.04, 57.94 and 24.14 GJ/ha, respectively. Output to input energy ratio was higher in greenhouse production (0.85, 0.45 and 0.49) than open field (OF) vegetable production (0.52, 0.175 and 0.186) for tomato, chili medium land and chili highland, respectively, but output - input ratio of lettuce open field production was twice as that of greenhouse vegetable production. Financial analysis revealed higher mean net returns from greenhouse vegetable production as 704 3 $/ha (922 - 15,299 $/ha) when compared to 563 $/ha (43 - 1,172 $/ha) from open field vegetable production. Tomato cultivation was the most profitable in terms of energy efficiency and financial productivity among the greenhouse vegetable production. Generally, reducing pest and disease in vegetable production is a main expectation from newly adopted technology. Limited land holding size of agricultural fields, high capital investment and lack of infrastructure were the constraints in improving their production through new technology. Low price of the product and lack of adequate market were also the other problems with vegetable production. Inadequate government support in term of training and financial support to farmers in certain area s make it difficult in adopting new technology. Capacity building of farmers, research and development on protect ed cultivation, manufacturing and financial sector support, supporting an efficient and adequate marketing system of protected cultivation product, and development of an agribusiness area especially for export commodities are the strategies suggested to develop and improve technology in cultivation. |