Revitalizing the Prosperity of Bangka Pepper in the Midst of Aggressive Tin Mining: Half-hearted Agricultural Politics in Bangka Belitung

¹ Bangka Belitung University, Balunijuk-Merawang, Bangka, Indonesia, 33172
² Bangka Belitung University, Balunijuk-Merawang, Bangka, Indonesia, 33172
³ Bangka Belitung University, Balunijuk-Merawang, Bangka, Indonesia, 33172

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The idea of returning to agriculture is an initiative aimed at revitalizing the agricultural sector in the Bangka Belitung Islands province. Located in eastern Sumatra, this province is one of the few island provinces in Indonesia with abundant tin resources. However, long before tin became a widely managed commodity, agriculture, particularly the small-scale pepper and rubber production, was the mainstay of the local economy. Since the expansion of tin mining, the plantation sector has been largely neglected. Efforts to revitalize agriculture have not been accompanied by strong commitments from local governments, and budget allocations for sector are often minimal in planning documents. Meanwhile, land degradation caused by mining, shifts in community culture, and plant disease variations have further weakened sector. Based on an analysis of regional development planning documents, interviews with government officials, fanners, and local associations, as well as field observations, this study found that policies intended to strengthen agriculture, such as regulatory support, financial assistance, agrarian governance, and investigations, have not been significantly implemented. Agricultural politics remains half-hearted, showing that resource extraction continues to be prioritized despite its environmental consequences. In this context, the strategy of agricultural politics confirmed inconsistencies between identified problems and policy planning.