Makna Keberlanjutan bagi Petani Rakyat dalam Industri Karet Remah: Studi Kualitatif Kritis di Sumatera Selatan

The Meaning of Sustainability for Smallholder Farmers in the Crumb Rubber Industry: A Critical Qualitative Study in South Sumatra

Abstrak

Abstract: This study examines the discourse of sustainability in Indonesia’s crumb rubber industry through a critical paradigm.

Objective: To explore the meaning of sustainability from the perspective of smallholder farmers, analyze the influence of power dynamic within the rubber industry, and identify local forms of resistance against the dominance of corporate sustainability discourse.

Methodology: This study uses a qualitative approach with Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis, drawing data from interviews, FGDs, observations, and policy and CSR documents. The analysis focuses on text, discursive, and social practices.

Research Results: The study finds that smallholder farmers' "sustainability from below" (focused on social justice and fair livelihood) fundamentally counters the dominant technocratic discourse of efficiency and certification in the crumb rubber industry. Achieving equitable sustainability necessitates structural transformation via an Inclusive Closed-Loop Supply Chain (ICLSC) model that mandates equity and participation.