EMPOWERMENT OF FARMERS THROUGH THE INDEPENDENT FARMERS PROGRAM IN BAURENO DISTRICT, BOJONEGORO REGENCY

The agricultural sector is a sector that has a strategic role in the structure of national economic development however the agricultural sector has problems that need attention. In response to this, it is necessary to have a government role in reducing losses or overcoming the risk of crop failure which can be done through empowering farmers. The Bojonegoro Regency Government in empowering farmers has an incentive program in the form of the Independent Farmers Program. The purpose of this study was to analyze and describe farmer empowerment through the independent farmer program in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency. This research uses descriptive qualitative research methods, with data collection techniques in the form of: observation, interviews, documentation. The results of this study, the farmers in Baureno District felt empowered by the empowerment carried out by the Bojonegoro Regency government through the independent farmer program which was analyzed by the theory of community empowerment stages: enabling, empowering and protecting. With this research, it can be seen how the Bojonegoro district government in empowering farmers through the independent farmer program

The role of the agricultural sector, which has been described above, shows that the agricultural sector is indispensable for the sustainability of life. However, the condition of the agricultural sector has problems that need to be considered, for example: land, which is the main factor in the agricultural production system, tends to decrease in raw area due to the transfer of land to non-agriculture which causes the narrowing of land, resulting in a decrease in the welfare level of farmers Rondonuwu (2017). Not to mention that farmers are still faced with problems related to crop failure which are usually caused by pests, dry season or floods that hit agriculture.
Another problem will arise again when farmers want to sell their crops. Farmers do not have direct access to consumers, besides that, they have limited ability to negotiate prices. As a result, middlemen appear who play a role in distributing crops from farmers to agricultural processing factories. Middlemen buy agricultural products at a price that is determined unilaterally. So that farmers do not profit, they lose. Because the loss of yields causes farmers to be confused about the capital needed to cultivate crops again. Departing from these conditions, the community views that the agricultural sector business has many risks of failure. From this, it can be seen that there is a gap between the lives of farmers who should be prosperous and the roles they have, but in reality the fate of farmers is very concerning. In response to this, it is necessary to have a government role in reducing losses or overcoming the risk of crop failure which can be done through empowering farmers.
The Bojonegoro Regency Government in empowering farmers has an incentive program in the form of an independent farmer program. The Independent Farmers Program/ Program Petani Mandiri (PPM) is a grant in the form of capital in the form of goods to farmers to provide welfare and independence for farmers (Mufidah, 2020). To carry out the program, the Bojonegoro Regency government issued an Independent Farmers Card plus/ Kartu Petani Mandiri Plus (KPM plus) which was given to farmers in accordance with the criteria as stipulated in the laws and regulations as a marker/ identity as well as access to get the benefits of KPM plus.
This program is an empowerment program aimed at farmers in Bojonegoro Regency, both land owners/rice fields and rice cultivators, both rice farmers, vegetable farmers, rice farmers and field farmers. Empowerment can be interpreted as an effort made so that objects have power or have strength in Hamid (2018). The Bojonegoro Regency Government hopes that the independent farmer program can improve the welfare of farmers. In order to create efficiency, effectiveness and productivity from the independent farmer program, it is necessary to coordinate between related agencies and a strong team work in the implementation of empowerment activities. So this research becomes important to see the empowerment of farmers carried out by the Bojonegoro Regency government in increasing the welfare of farmers through this program.
Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency, is a flood-prone district, because it is located in the Bengawan Solo river basin, farmers often experience crop failure/puso. Even recently, farmers have also experienced crop failure/puso caused by floods. This is also contained in the Bojonegoro News, Zaenal Fanani From the phenomena that have been described. There is a gap where the benefits provided by the independent farmer program are starting to be felt by farmers, but on the other hand, farmers still experience crop failure/puso. This research is aimed at examining the extent to which farmer empowerment through independent farmer programs is seen from efforts to build power by encouraging, motivating and raising awareness of their potential and striving to provide various inputs, opening access into various opportunities that will make people more empowered. So that community empowerment does not make people dependent on various charity programs. This research is focused on rice farmers/planters, both landowners and rice cultivators in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency, which the author wrote in the title, "Empowerment of Farmers through Independent Farmers Program in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency".

B. LITERATURE REVIEW Definition of Public Policy
According to the Big Indonesian Dictionary (Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia/KBBI), policies are a series of concepts and principles that serve as guidelines and basis for plans in the implementation of a job, leadership, and how to act. Public policy according to Dye in Sasmito et al. (2020) is defined as "whatever government choose to do or not to do", public policy is whatever the government chooses to do or not do something. Khaidir (2017) says public policy is not something random but has goals and objectives, which are carried out by public authorities consisting of patterns of action that are within a certain time frame, public policy is the result of a demand, which is a series of directed government actions in response to problems.
Based on this description, it can be concluded that public policy is an activity carried out consciously, directed and measuredly by the government by involving interested parties in order to achieve certain goals. Public policy is a compelling activity, this means that public policy can be in the form of statutory regulations with a coercive nature, if it is violated, it will receive predetermined sanctions.
From the picture above, it can be explained that public policy consists of: a) Agenda Setting In the preparation of the public policy agenda, there are three activities that need to be carried out, namely: 1. Build perceptions among stakeholders that a phenomenon is really considered a problem. Because it could be a symptom by certain groups of people that it is considered a problem, but by some other communities or the political elite it is not considered a problem. 2. Create problem boundaries. 3. Mobilize support so that the issue can be added to the government's agenda. Mobilizing this support can be done by organizing groups in society, and political forces, publications through the mass media and so on. b) Formulation and legitimacy At the stage of policy formulation and legitimacy, policy analysis needs to collect and analyze information related to the problem in question, then try to develop policy alternatives, build support and conduct negotiations, so as to arrive at a chosen policy. c) Policy implementation The next stage is policy implementation. At this stage, it is necessary to support resources and formulation of an implementing organization for policies. In the implementation process, there is often a system of incentives, rewards and sanctions (reward and punishment) so that the implementation of a policy can run well. d) Evaluation of the implementation, performance and impact of policies From policy action, the performance and impact of the policy will be generated, and the next process is an evaluation of the implementation, performance and impact of the policy. The results of this evaluation are useful for determining new policies in the future, so that policies will be better and more successful.

Regional Government
Etymologically, government comes from the Greek word, "kubernan" or ship captain. It means looking forward in Rahman (2018). According to Mairun, government is a word that refers to an agency, organ or equipment that carries out a function or field of work. Meanwhile, government refers to the field of work or function duties. So it can be said that the term government refers to the subject, and government refers to the object.
According to The Liang Gie, the Regional Government is a unit of government organization authorized to carry out all local interests of a group that inhabits an area led by the head of regional government in Husry (2020:89).

Community Empowerment
Community empowerment is a process to increase the ability or capacity of the community in utilizing the resources they have, both human resources (HR) and natural resources (SDA) available in their environment in order to improve their welfare in Iryana (2018). The stages of community empowerment according to Ginanjar Kartasasmita in Mulyawan (2016) mention three main aspects that need to be done in the community empowerment process, namely: 1. Enabling Creating an atmosphere or climate that allows the development of the potential or power of the community (enabling). Empowerment is an effort to build that power by encouraging, motivating and raising awareness (awareness) of its potential and striving to develop it.

Empowering
Strengthening the potential or power possessed by the community (empowering). In this context, more positive steps are needed, apart from just creating a climate and atmosphere. This strengthening includes concrete steps, and involves providing various inputs, as well as opening access to various opportunities that will make the community more empowered.

Protecting
Strengthening the potential or power possessed by the community (empowering). In this context, more positive steps are needed, apart from just creating a climate and atmosphere. This strengthening includes concrete steps, and involves providing various inputs, as well as opening access to various opportunities that will make the community more empowered.

Farmer
According to Fadholi Hermanto in Imam (2016), a farmer is any person who makes an effort to fulfill part or all of his life needs in the agricultural sector in a broad sense which includes agricultural farming, livestock, fisheries (including fishing), and prioritizes marine products. Based on the Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 19 Tahun 2013 concerning Protection and Empowerment of Farmers in Article 1 Paragraph 2 written understanding of farmer empowerment which reads "farmer empowerment is all efforts to improve the ability of farmers to carry out better farming through education and training, counseling and assistance, development of systems and means of marketing agricultural products, consolidation and guarantee of agricultural land area, easy access to science, technology and information, and strengthening farmer institutions ". Farmers need to be given protection and empowerment so that they have the capacity to continue to grow and develop to be more prosperous.

Independent Farmers Program
The independent farmer program is a grant in the form of capital in the form of goods to farmers to provide welfare and independence for farmers. The independent farmer program has benefits, among others: 1. Capital Assistance Provide access for farmer households/families to get grant assistance with a maximum value of Rp. 10,000,000.00. In this case the expenditure is carried out in non-cash/book-entry/transfer which later the farmer group gets in the form of goods (seeds, fertilizers and agricultural tools).

Training
Local governments provide priority access to training and business development in agriculture.

Harvest Purchase Guarantee
In implementing the guarantee for the purchase of agricultural products, the local government empowers Village-Owned Enterprises that have business units in the agricultural sector.

Harvest Failure Insurance
The Local Government guarantees crop failure insurance or priority agricultural and livestock insurance facilities in accordance with statutory provisions 5. Scholarships The local government provides access to scholarships to children of farmers who hold independent farmer plus cards.

C. METHOD
The type of research used in this research is descriptive qualitative research, in which the data collected is in the form of words, pictures, not numbers. Jane Richie in Barlian (2016) also argues that qualitative research is an attempt to present the social world and its perspectives in the world, in terms of concepts, behavior, perceptions, and problems about the human being studied. In this study, the focus of research is farmer empowerment through independent farmer programs in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency which is analyzed using the theory of community empowerment stages according to Ginanjar Kartasasmita in Mulyawan (2016) in the form of: a. Enabling.
Enabeling what is meant in this case is how the Bojonegoro Regency Government creates a climate atmosphere that allows the development of the potential or power possessed by the community in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency. In the process, there are 3 (three) attempts to build this potential or power, including: 1. Encourage/encouragement. Empowerment is an effort to build that power by providing encouragement. The encouragement given by the Bojonegoro Regency Government through the Independent Farmers Program (PPM) to farmers in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency.

Motivation
The motivation given by the Bojonegoro Regency Government through the Independent Farmers Program (PPM) to farmers in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency.

Generating awareness/Awareness
The efforts of the Bojonegoro Regency government through the Independent Farmers Program (PPM) in raising awareness (awareness) of farmers in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency. b. Empowering.
Efforts by the Bojonegoro Regency Government through the Independent Farmers Program (PPM) to strengthen the "potential or power" of farmers in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency. c. Protecting.
The efforts of the Bojonegoro Regency government through the Independent Farmers Program (PPM) in providing protection to farmers in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency. Sources of data in this study are: primary data and secondary data. Primary data sources are sources of research data obtained directly from original sources without going through intermediary media Sugiyono (2019). The primary data used by researchers is the key informant of the Bojonegoro Regency Government who handles the independent farmer program. Meanwhile, the informants are then asked to the initial informants to appoint other people who can provide information. In order to translate the data or find the correctness of the data, the next informant is found through the snowball sampling technique. The next informants in this study were farmers who participated in the madiri farmer program in Baureno District. The secondary data used in this study were taken from supporting books such as journals, books, photos and other document references. The data collection techniques used in this study are: observation, interviews, documentation. The data analysis method used in this study is a method developed by Miles and Huberman quoted by Sugiyono (2019) where qualitative data analysis is carried out in several stages, namely: data collection, data condensation, data display, conclusion drawing or verification.

EXPLANATION
Various efforts have been made by the Bojonegoro Regency government in overcoming problems in the agricultural sector. One of them is community empowerment through the independent farmer program. The Independent Farmers Program (PPM) is a grant in the form of capital in the form of goods to farmers to provide welfare and independence for farmers, which can protect farmers from the risk of crop failure. This research was conducted with the aim of knowing the empowerment of farmers carried out by the Bojonegoro Regency Government through the independent farmer program in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency based on the toeri of the stages of community empowerment according to Ginanjar Kartasasmita in Mulyawan (2016:62), namely enabling, empowering, protecting. Here's the explanation: 1. Enabling The independent farmer program is a concrete form of community empowerment carried out by the Bojonegoro Regency government. The independent farmer program is an effort to create an atmosphere or climate in the agricultural sector that allows the development of existing potential. Each agricultural sector has the potential to be developed, especially with the independent farmer program, it is hoped that it can overcome problems in the agricultural sector such as crop failure caused by pests, as well as the dry or rainy season. In this case, it can be done with various efforts including by providing encouragement, motivating and raising awareness of farmers about the potential of the agricultural sector. As for further explanations, including the following: a. Encouragement Provide encouragement to farmers as an effort to build power so that they can maintain the agricultural sector. In this case, the Bojonegoro Regency government through an independent farmer program in encouraging farmers by providing socialization to farmers. The socialization provided was related to the independent farmer program carried out by the Food and Agriculture Security Service as a representative of the Bojonegoro Regency Government. The materials discussed in the socialization included the introduction of the independent farmer program to farmers, the benefits of the independent farmer program that can be felt by farmers and farmer families, and the requirements to join the independent farmer program. Socialization related to the independent farmer program is a step in encouraging farmers in Baureno District to join the independent farmer program. By joining the farmers in Baureno District in the independent farmer program, they can overcome existing farmers' problems, such as crop failure caused by flooding. And it can generate the potential of the agricultural sector in Baureno District with the benefits of the independent farmer program (PPM). In socialization, it involves farmers as objects of empowerment. Because empowerment is an effort to provide opportunities and abilities for (poor) community groups to be able and courageous to voice (voice) or voice their opinions, ideas, or ideas, as well as the ability and courage to choose something (concept, method, product), actions, etc.) are best for the person, family, and society (Anggara, 2018). In a study conducted by the author, farmers in Baureno District felt encouraged by the socialization carried out by the government through the independent farmer program. b. Motivation Motivation can be interpreted as internal and external encouragement in a person as indicated by the desires and interests, drives and needs, hopes and aspirations, hopes and respect. Motivating is an effort to encourage someone's spirit with incentives or something help (Halawa et al., 2019). When it is related to the current condition of the agricultural sector, farmers really need motivation as an effort to improve their quality of life and welfare. These efforts can be done by increasing agricultural yields which can be influenced by various aspects. One aspect that can affect the success of increasing agricultural output is capital. Because the low aspect of capital will affect the level of productivity for farming.
In line with the description above, the Bojonegoro Regency Government in providing motivation through the independent farmer program, namely by providing capital assistance in the form of fertilizers and seeds to farmers who are members of PPM. Capital assistance is given to farmers in accordance with the area of land/rice fields. Farmers in Baureno District who are members of PPM receive assistance in the form of fertilizer amounting to 260kg/ hectare and seed assistance of 25kg/hectare. This capital assistance is expected to motivate farmers to continue to maintain the agricultural sector and increase the existing potential. According to research in the field, farmers in Baureno District feel helped and motivated by the capital assistance provided by the Bojonegoro Regency government through PPM. Empowerment is an effort to build this power by raising awareness (awareness) of its potential and trying to develop it. The awareness of each individual is influenced by their knowledge (Arditama & Lestari, 2020). In this case, the Bojonegoro Regency government through the independent farmer program provides training as an effort to raise awareness of farmers in Baureno District. Training activities carried out by the Office of Industry and Manpower as representatives of the Bojonegoro Regency Government. The training theme is in accordance with the potential in the community, and the implementation time is in accordance with the training theme. Farmers in Baureno District receive training in the form of banana chip processing, packaging and marketing of banana chips. With this training, it is hoped that it can raise awareness of farmers about the existing potential. And can develop it into a business that can improve the welfare of farmers. So that farmers in Baureno District are increasingly empowered. In addition, in raising awareness of farmers, the Bojonegoro Regency government through the independent farmer program provides rice farming insurance (AUTP) to farmers who are members of PPM. Paddy farming insurance is insurance coverage for crop failure caused by pests or natural disasters. Baureno District is one of the districts in Bojonegoro which is prone to flooding. Floods that often hit the agricultural sector resulted in crop failure/puso. With the AUTP, it is hoped that it can raise awareness of farmers in overcoming existing problems. In connection with this, the research conducted by the author, farmers in Baureno District have an awareness of the potential that exists with the training conducted by DISNAKER (Employment State Agency), Bojonegoro Regency, even farmers find it very helpful. With AUTP, farmers in Baureno District feel protected and aware in dealing with existing problems. Even though farmers who have joined AUTP in its implementation have not received insurance because they have not experienced claims/crop failure.

Empowering
The dimension of empowering is strengthening the potential or power possessed by the community (empowering). In this context, more positive steps are needed apart from just creating a climate and atmosphere (Pardede & Calen, 2018). Empowering is to provide additional power or ability. In general, farmers in Baureno District already have the manpower/ability in the agricultural sector, but they are still limited, and use traditional methods. In response to this, the Bojonegoro Regency government through the independent farmer program provides access to training and development of farming in the form of a legowo row planting system. The legowo row planting system or often called Si Jarwo is an innovative planting pattern by alternating between two or more rows of rice plants and one empty row (Bharoto, 2016). The essence of this planting system is to multiply the fringing plants in the hope that their growth will be better and the results are higher and more abundant. So that the presence of Si Jarwo can increase the productivity of rice yields in Baureno District.
In addition, the Bojonegoro Regency government through the independent farmer program provides scholarship assistance to farmer families who are members of PPM. Scholarship assistance is specifically for students who are pursuing public higher education and preferably majoring in agriculture. As well as there are several other requirements that have been listed in Perbup number 43 of 2020 or the technical guidelines for awarding higher education achievement scholarships for Bojonegoro Regency 2020. Through educational activities, quality human resources will be born who can elevate degrees, ways of thinking, and innovations, so that there stood educated farmers who were able to strengthen the potential of the agricultural sector in Baureno District. In line with this, in the research conducted by the author, farmers in Baureno District are increasingly empowered by the existence of the legowo row planting system as an innovation in the rice planting system, and the assistance of scholarships can strengthen the potential of human resources in Baureno District.

Protecting
Protecting the community through siding with the weak to prevent unbalanced competition. In the agricultural sector, the sale of crops is often an obstacle. Which is influenced by the problem of lowering the unit price of production which is not balanced with farmer income, because of the large costs incurred such as fertilizer, labor, seeds and other costs (Wanimbo, 2018). Whereas farmers grow rice in addition to being consumed, also as a livelihood by selling their crops. Responding to this, the Bojonegoro Regency government through an independent farmer program in an effort to protect farmers, namely by purchasing crops. In carrying out the purchase of harvest/agricultural products, the Bojonegoro Regency government empowers BUMDesa (Villages Enterprise) that have business units in the agricultural sector in collaboration with BUMD (Regencies Enterprise). BUMD provides stimulants to BUMDes in the form of village financial assistance funds of Rp. 100,000,000 to strengthen BUMDes capital specifically for purchasing agricultural products. In the research that the author has conducted, farmers in Baureno District have not felt the purchase of the harvest made by BUMDes. This is because there are no BUMDes that meet the requirements in order to get stimulants from BUMD and make purchases of crops.

D. CONCLUSION
Based on the results of research on farmer empowerment through the independent farmer program in Baureno District, Bojonegoro Regency. Which is based on 3 indicators of community empowerment stages, namely: enabling, empowering, protecting which can be concluded as follows: 1. Enabling Creating an atmosphere or climate that allows the development of the potential or power of the community (enabling) through the independent farmer program carried out by the Bojonegoro Regency government. In this case, it is done by providing encouragement, motivation and raising awareness. The encouragement given was in the form of socialization to farmers in Baureno District, and motivation given in the form of providing capital assistance (aunts and fertilizers) to farmers in Baureno District. As well as raising awareness with existing potential training in the form of training on processing, packaging, marketing of banana chips and through the provision of AUTP guarantees to farmers in Baureno District.

Empowering
Strengthening the potential or power of the community; In this context, the Bojonegoro Regency government is an effort to strengthen the potential / power of farmers in Baureno District with training on the legowo row planting system as an innovation in the rice planting system, and providing scholarship assistance for farmer families who are pursuing higher education with predetermined requirements.

Protecting
Protecting the community through siding with the weak to prevent unbalanced competition; The Bojonegoro Regency Government in protecting farmers by purchasing crops through BUMDes in collaboration with BUMD Bojonegoro Regency.