Sektor Pertanian merupakan sektor dengan kontribusi terbesar dalam Produk Domestik Regional Bruto (PDRB) Kabupaten Simalungun. Namun pengembangan komoditas di sektor pertanian dinilai belum sepenuhnya berbasis pada komoditas basis dan tingkat pertumbuhannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi dan menganalisis komoditas unggulan dan komoditas potensial sektor pertanian dalam arti luas. Penelitian dilakukan di Kabupaten Simalungun, pada bulan Maret-Agustus 2019. Penelitian ini menggunakan data sekunder yaitu data produksi masing-masing komoditas pertanian tahun 2008-2017 diperoleh dari Dinas Pertanian Kabupaten Simalungun, Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Simalungun, dan Badan Pusat Statistik Provinsi Sumatera Utara. Data produksi dianalisis dengan Location Quotient (LQ) dan tipologi Klassen. Pangsa Sektor Pertanian dalam PDRB Kabupaten Simalungun tahun 2008-2017 adalah rata-rata sebesar 49,53%. Berdasarkan hasil analisis data produksi, dalam kurun waktu 2008-2017, komoditas unggulan Kabupaten Simalungun (kombinasi nilai LQ>1, tumbuh cepat) adalah ubi jalar (tanaman pangan); kentang, kubis, buncis, bayam, mangga, dan pisang (hortikultura); kelapa sawit, kopi arabika, kakao, dan cengkeh (perkebunan rakyat); kerbau (peternakan); dan kegiatan perikanan budidaya. Sementara komoditas potensial (nilai LQ>1, tumbuh lambat) adalah padi ladang, jagung, dan ubi kayu (tanaman pangan); bawang merah (hortikultura); kopi robusta, pinang, aren, dan vanili (perkebunan rakyat); sapi, babi, dan ayam kampung (peternakan). Komoditas basis namun relatif tertinggal adalah kacang tanah. Sementara, komoditas nonbasis namun tergolong berkembang cepat adalah nangka, manggis, sawo, durian, pepaya, nenas, petsai, terung, cabai, tomat, karet, wortel, kacang panjang, dan kayu manis.

Monoculture farming of arabica coffee plantation does not support environmental sustainability. International market demands arabica coffee product in compliance with an environmentally friendly standard which promotes ecological-based management. This study aims to identify the ecological aspects of specialty arabica coffee cultivation, and to analyze the effect of shade tree population, the use of organic fertilizer, the pruning of coffee crop, land conservation, and the control of coffee berry borer on specialty arabica coffee production. The data of ecological aspect was collected from three regencies in North Sumatera Province, namely Simalungun, North Tapanuli, and Dairi. Production determinant was analyzed concerning farming cultivation in three districts of Simalungun Regency namely Sidamanik, Pamatang Sidamanik, and Dolok Pardamean. The location was determined with multi-stage cluster sampling and the farmer samples with simple random sampling. The ecological aspect was analyzed descriptively while the determinant of arabica coffee production was analyzed with multiple regression method. The result shows that the shaded arabica coffee farming covers only 32% of the total arabica coffee production in the study area with a population of 54 trees/ha. Land conservation conducted by the farmers utilizes coffee fruit mulch (92%), individual terrace (3%), rorak (4%), and bench terrace (1%). The arabica coffee farming system managed by the farmers consists of monoculture (30%), mix farming (24%), shade coffee (32%), and multistrata coffee (14%). The pruning of coffee plants and integrated control of coffee berry borer has a significant effect on specialty arabica coffee production. Land conservation, population of shade tree, and organic fertilizer are an important production determinant on arabica coffee production in the short-term. These three ecological variables play a role to maintain land preservation and support sustainable arabica coffee production in the long-term.

Arabica coffee is a leading commodity in Simalungun Regency, where entrepreneurship becomes one of the important aspects in arabica coffee farming management. This study aims to understand the influence of internal factors (farmer age, education, experience, number of family members, family motivation, and work culture) and external factors (government support, community support, access to production facilities, and climatic conditions) on entrepreneurial performance of arabica coffee farmers. The research was conducted in two villages (Bangun Pane village and Bintang Mariah village) in Dolog Masagal district, Simalungun Regency, North Sumatra Province during March to May 2018. The study sample covers 60 farmer households who have Arabica coffee farming with at least 300 arabica coffee plants and minimum plant age of three years, determined by snowball sample method. The study used ratio and scale data (Likert scale), which was analyzed using multiple regression equations. Data were processed using SPSS 24. Results show that internal factors have positive and significant effect on the entrepreneurial performance of arabica coffee farmers (value Sig.=0.005), while external factors have positive and insignificant effect (value Sig.=0.313). Local governments through relevant technical agencies are recommended to provide facilitation in improving farmers' access to production factors, increasing quantity and quality of extension, technical guidance, and relevant training.

Penelitian ini ingin mengetahui pengaruh aspek sosioekologis terhadap produksi kopi arabika dengan menggunakan persamaan regresi majemuk dan diduga dengan program SPSS 22. Sampel berjumlah 58 rumah tangga petani. Tingkat partisipasi petani mengikuti pelatihan hanya 30%. Aspek-aspek yang perlu ditingkatkan adalah penggunaan pohon pelindung legum (26%), jumlah pohon pelindung (67 pohon/ha), pemangkasan tanaman kopi (43%), pengembalian kulit kopi sebagai mulsa (57%), dan menyediakan tempat terpisah untuk menyimpan pestisida (41%). Sementara aspek ekologis yang sudah baik adalah penggunaan pupuk organik (93%) dan penggunaan masker atau pengaman saat mengaplikasikan pestisida. Aspek ekologis yang perlu diminimalkan adalah penggunaan herbisida untuk mengendalikan gulma (91%). Aspek sosial dan ekologi secara bersama berperan penting pada usahatani kopi arabika. Aspek ekologi memiliki multiperan, yaitu peningkatan kuantitas produksi, peningkatan kualitas, dan keberlanjutan lingkungan. Partisipasi petani dalam pelatihan, jumlah pohon pelindung legum, dan praktik pemangkasan tanaman kopi, berpengaruh positif dan nyata terhadap produksi kopi arabika. Sementara umur, tingkat pendidikan, jumlah pohon pelindung, penggunaan pupuk organik, dan penggunaan kulit buah kopi sebagai mulsa, berpengaruh positif dan tidak nyata terhadap produksi kopi arabika.

Participatory regional development planning through Musrenbang, an essential process for formulating development priorities, requires improvement. Using a comprehensive SWOT analysis framework, this research has provided crucial insights into the current state of participatory planning through the sub-district Musrenbang in Pematangsiantar City. Methodologically, the research involved identifying participants, conducting focus group discussions, and gathering data through in-depth stakeholder interviews. The findings indicate that while the Musrenbang implementation is moderately effective, there are notable internal areas for improvement, particularly in stakeholder coordination. However, the study also identifies opportunities for improvement through enhanced participation and collaboration. The study concludes that integrating aggressive, competitive, and adaptive strategies into the participatory planning model can significantly enhance the effectiveness of Musrenbang, ultimately contributing to sustainable development and improved local governance. This research contributes to the broader discourse on participatory planning theory, offering valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers in regional development. The study's limitation involved a relatively small number of respondents, which may not adequately represent the diverse range of stakeholders involved in the Musrenbang process. Furthermore, this study is location-specific, focusing on the city's unique characteristics. As a result, the findings can only be extended to other regions with comparable features. However, the potential for future studies to integrate SWOT analysis with other methods offers hope for a comprehension and effective strategy development in participatory planning.