STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY-BASED AGRIBUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE VALUE CHAINS FOR RURAL ECONOMIC RESILIENCE IN LOMBOK

Abstract

Rural communities in Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB), depend heavily on smallholder agriculture and tourism-linked agribusiness, yet fragmented value chains and weak institutional linkages continue to limit farmers' bargaining power and income stability. This community service program was designed to strengthen community-based agribusiness institutions and sustainable value chains as a pathway toward rural economic resilience. Using a participatory communitydevelopment approach, the program combined situational assessment, capacity-building training, institutional strengthening of farmer and women-farmer groups, and facilitation of market linkages with downstream buyers, including the hotel, restaurant, and catering (HORECA) sector that anchors Lombok's tourism economy. Results indicate measurable gains in production and post-harvest capacity and in group-level bargaining position, while access to formal finance, structured contracts with downstream buyers, and perceived regulatory support remain persistent constraints, consistent with recent regional evidence. The program demonstrates that resilience-building in Lombok's rural economy requires simultaneous attention to farm-level capacity, institutional coordination, and inclusive downstream partnerships.