CHANGES IN AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE IN INDONESIA: EVIDENCE FROM 2013 AND 2023 AGRICULTURAL CENSUS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22437/jiseb.v29i01.52501Keywords:
Agricultural employment, Agricultural census; , Indonesia Structural transformation, Labor dynamicsAbstract
The agricultural sector remains an important source of employment in Indonesia, particularly in rural areas. However, structural transformation, urbanization, and technological change have significantly altered the role of agriculture as a labor absorber. This study aims to analyze changes in the structure of agricultural employment in Indonesia by comparing evidence from the 2013 and 2023 Agricultural Censuses. Specifically, the study examines changes in the size of the agricultural workforce, age structure, gender composition, and employment status. This research employs a descriptive-comparative quantitative approach using secondary microdata from the 2013 and 2023 Agricultural Censuses published by Statistics Indonesia (BPS). The analysis applies descriptive statistics, inter-census comparison, and simple structural change analysis to identify key employment dynamics over the ten-year period. The results show a substantial decline in agricultural employment, accompanied by a pronounced aging of the workforce, increasing participation of women, and a growing share of informal and vulnerable employment statuses. These findings indicate that agriculture is becoming less attractive to younger workers while facing challenges related to labor regeneration and employment quality. The novelty of this study lies in its use of the most recent agricultural census microdata to provide a comprehensive and comparative analysis of employment structure changes over time in Indonesia. The findings have important policy implications, highlighting the need for farmer regeneration strategies, gender-sensitive agricultural policies, and improved social protection to ensure the sustainability of agricultural employment in the future
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