STRATEGI PENINGKATAN PERAN PROGRAM PENGUATAN MODAL KELOMPOK (PMUK) DALAM PEMBERDAYAAN KELOMPOK TANI SAYUR DI KABUPATEN PELALAWAN PROPINSI RIAU

YULIATMI. Strategies in Improving the Role of the Program in Strengthening Group Business’s Capital (PSGBC) in the Empowerment of Vegetable Farmer Groups in the Regency of Pelalawan, Province of Riau. Under the Supervision of Dr.Ir.Dedi Budiman Hakim, M.Sc as Head and Ir. Sutara Hendrakusumaatmaja,M.Sc as Member of the Supervisory Commission In the empowerment of farmer community, a Program in Strengthening Group Business’s Capital (PSGBC) has been conducted through a Direct Loan to the community. Pelalawan is one regency that has received PSGBC since 2004. The program has involved eight groups of farmers (consisting of 54 farmers) who deal with vegetables commodities such as chilly, spinach, kangkung (water spinach), etc. In its operation, PSGBC has some problems. First, there are still farmers who have not returned the fund of PSGBC to the farmer groups. This has affected the sustainability of their farm businesses. Second, some farmers still move from one area to another because those who receive PSGBC are the farmers who cultivate lands. Further, the farmers in the Regency of Palalawan often produce the same commodities as other farmer groups, thus making the price of the commodities low. Those problems above will certainly inhibit the attainment of PSGBC’s goals, particularly increased production, productivity, and the income of farmers receiving PSGBC. The first objective of the study was descriptively analyzed and the second was examined with the methods of SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats) and QSPM (Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix) Based on the resulted evaluation of the PSGBC, the vegetable farmers have not been successful as a result of their low education (of nine years). The relatively low education will cause a slow change in thinking ability through the development program because in general a person with a low education is slow in making decisions. The status of borrowed land is also a constraint to the success of PSGBC because the period of utilizing the land is only 2-3 years and after the period the land must be returned to its owner. The results of SWOT and QSPM analysis show that there are three major priorities for the improved role of PSGBC in the Regency of Pelalawan in increasing the income of vegetable farmers: (1) accelerating land certification for the farmers of PSGBC; (2) improving access to