Gaps and Determinants of Good Agricultural Practices Implementation in Lowland Swamp Rice Farming

Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sriwijaya, Jalan Palembang-Prabumulih, KM 32, Indralaya 20662, South Sumatra, Indonesia

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Abstract

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are essential guidelines to enhance productivity and ensure sustainability in rice farming, particularly in lowland swamp areas with specific environmental characteristics. This study aims to evaluate GAP implementation, identify gaps relative to the ideal standard, and analyze factors influencing sustainable GAP adoption in Awal Canal Village, Sirah Pulau Padang District, Ogan Komering Ilir Regency. A survey of 50 farmers was conducted; descriptive analysis assessed GAP implementation, one-sample t-tests measured gaps against the ideal standard, and Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) examined determinants of sustainable adoption. Results indicate a moderate level of GAP implementation (average 71.4%) with a 28.6% gap, particularly in fertilization and water management. One-sample t-tests confirmed significant differences between current practices and the ideal standard. SEM-PLS analysis revealed that social, ecological, and technological factors significantly influence sustainable GAP adoption, with technology as the dominant determinant, while economic and institutional factors were not significant. These findings highlight the importance of improving access to and utilization of agricultural technologies to reduce gaps in GAP implementation in lowland swamp rice farming