PENGARUH DANA DESA DAN PRODUK DOMESTIK REGIONAL BRUTO (PDRB) TERHADAP TINGKAT KEMISKINAN DI PROVINSI ACEH

This study aims to see the effect of Village Fund and Gross Domestic Regional Product on poverty in districts / cities in Aceh Province during the 2017-2019 period. To analyze the data, the method used is panel data regression analysis with the estimation of model parameters using a fixed effect model (FEM). The results showed that the village funds variable did not have a significant effect on poverty, this happened because most of the village funds were allocated more to the infrastructure development sector, causing village funds to still not have a direct effect on reducing poverty. The Gross Domestic Regional Product variable has a negative but significant effect on poverty in the District / City of Aceh Province, which means that with an increase in Gross Domestic Regional Product it will significantly affect the reduction of poverty levels in Aceh Province.

SUB-NATIONAL INNOVATION POLICY: A UNIVERSAL ENTITLEMENT TO EDUCATION GRANT IN SABANG, INDONESIA

This article studies a universal entitlement to education grant in Sabang that shows policy making at subnational government level in Indonesia. The policy is designed and implemented by Sabang municipality of Aceh province to help students at primary and secondary schools who would otherwise struggle with the cost of education. Desk study and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the major and high-ranking officials from related government departments in Sabang. The results show the central - local relations has not been easy to be understood by lower tier of governments. While the distribution of authorities between central and subnational government (such as: in education development functions) has not been well defined, the Sabang Education Grant (SEG) has been evidence of how a municipality government exercise the discretion and decision-making power. The transfer of authority and responsibility under the decentralization is instrumental in supporting the SEG policy formulation. The sub-national governments at special regions were given an authority to formulate policies to ensure all students have access to educational services. To implement this policy, Sabang municipality government regulate the operational procedures to implement the processes, define the technical guideline, establish the expert and management team as well as provide the tools to support the policy implementation.

The Coaching of Family Welfare and Empowerment Group of Krueng Barona Jaya through the Making of Soap

The Krueng Barona Jaya is a sub-district in Aceh Besar District, Aceh Province, Indonesia. This sub-district is located near the Ulee Kareng area, Banda Aceh. The Krueng Barona Jaya sub-district has at least more than 16,000 people spread across a number of locations. Most of the residents in Krueng Barona sub-district earn their living as farmers, domestic workers, civil servants, entrepreneurs, and 31.53% have temporary jobs. This situation can be improved by providing various training to residents to help them establish their own or group businesses. The community service activity is intended to improve public understanding about technology of making liquid soap. To achieve this objective the team sincerely helped provided training on the process of making liquid soap for mothers in the family-welfare-empowerment group. The results of interviews with the community and sub-district officials showed that the women of the group were very enthusiastic in participating in soap making training and other similar activities. The results of interviews with the community and sub-district officials showed that the women of the group were very enthusiastic in participating in soap making training and other similar activities. The results of the discussion indicated that the participants’ mastery of making soap was very good. This training and coaching opens people’s mind to change their habits and thinking patterns.

Vegetation analysis of the Forest Park of Pocut Meurah Intan (THRPMI), Seulawah Subdistrict, Aceh Besar, Aceh Province

A study entitled “Vegetation Analysis of the Forest Park of Pocut Meurah Intan, Seulawah Subdistrict of Aceh Besar, Aceh Province” has been conducted since April 2019 until November 2019. A transect method and squares were used in this study. The transect method was used to record species composition throughout the observation stations (inventory of species), including stands of pine (Pinus merkusii) with ten stations transect, stands of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla), stands of cacao (Theobroma cacao), and natural forests within a radius of 2 km around the THRPMI office. The squares method was used to record the species in the same locations to replicate each station by ten squares of samples for vegetation analysis. The parameters measured in the field were frequency, density, and dominance of each species. Analysis of vegetation covered Importance Values (IV), Diversity Index (H ’), and the Similarity Index (SI). Results showed that there were 49 familia found with the composition of species in the entire observation stations comprising of 111 species with 58 species of trees, 12 species of shrubs, and 41 species of herbs. Additionally, the results showed that the species of vegetation with the highest IV were coarse grass (Imperata cylindrica), lawn pait (Axonopus compresus), and selasi (Vernonia cinerea) with IV of 72.01, 65.34, and 57.24, respectively. Results of analysis Species Diversity Index (H ’) showed that the Pinus merkusii had H’ of 2,134, whereas Eucalyptus urophylla had H ’of 1.965, and Theobroma cacao had H’ of 1,067. The results of the analysis of Community Similarity Index showed that all stations had the same relative SI of 75%. It can be concluded that the species composition of the study area dominated by tree species, species diversity index (H ’) in all observation stations varied ranging from 1.067 to 2.134, and the relative Community Similarity Index was 75%.

The Distribution of Intestinal Amoebae in Wild Long-Tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Sabang City, Aceh Province, Indonesia

Amoeba that infects primates can also be found in humans and can be zoonotic. This study aims to identify the distribution of intestinal amoeba in the wild Long-Tailed Macaque (LTM) group located at Cot Murong, Kebun Mangga, and Tugu Zero Kilometer Monument (IZKM) in Sabang City, Aceh Province, Indonesia. A total of 177 stool samples from 59 tails from the three LTM groups were examined microscopically. The results of the examination confirmed seven species of intestinal amoeba, three of which belonged to the genus Entamoeba, namely the Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii complex, Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba pölecki, and four other species from different genera, namely Iodamoeba butschlii, Blastocystis sp., Endolimax nana and Dientamoeba fragilis. The prevalence of intestinal amoeba in wild LTM in Sabang City was 57.6% (102/177). Dientamoeba fragilis was only found in the LTM group of Kebun Mangga. Entamoeba coli dominated the highest prevalence in all LTM groups. The LTM group located around Cot Murong and IZKM had a higher concentration of infection with intestinal amoeba than the Kebun Mangga location. The statistical tests showed a significant difference between the proportions of Iodamoeba butschlii, Endolimax nana and Dientamoeba fragilis, both found in the LTM Cot Murong, Kebun Mangga, or IZKM groups. This study is the first to report amoebic infection prevalence in the wild LTM group in Sabang City, Aceh Province. The pathogenic amoeba that cannot be distinguished microscopically from morphologically identical amoebae needs to be identified molecularly to identify variants and their potential as zoonotic agents. HIGHLIGHTS Intestinal amoeba species found in fecal samples of the wild long-tailed macaques group of Sabang City, Aceh Province, Indonesia, can also be found in human stool samples As many as three of the seven identified amoeba species, namely Entamoeba histolytica, Dientamoeba fragilis, and Blastocystis sp. is a pathogen that can cause diarrhea and colitis in humans and non-human primates The prevalence of amoeba infection in wild macaques in Sabang City is in the high category and tends to increase the incidence of infection in the macaque group, which has more susceptible individuals, namely infants, children, and females GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Consistency of attack level of coffee berry borer (Hypotenemus hampei Ferr.) on organic and conventional arabica coffee plantation in Aceh Tengah District, Aceh Province, Indonesia

A study has been conducted for 3 consecutive years since 2019 to 2021 to investigate the influence of cultivation system of Arabica coffee against the attack of the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferr.) in Arabica coffee plantations in Aceh Tengah District, Aceh Province, Indonesia. We observed the attack level of H. hampei on Arabica coffee plants that were cultivated both organically and conventionally. The results showed that for three years observation, in general, the attack level of coffee berry borer (CBB) on organic and conventional coffee plantations was not significantly different. Observations in 2019 showed that the attack level of CBB on organic coffee plantations ranged from 27-34 % and on conventional coffee plantations ranging from 33-49 %. Observations in 2020 showed that the attack rate of CBB on organic and conventional coffee ranged from 20-40 % and 28-41%, respectively, while observations in 2021 were 25-26 % and 27-28 %. The results of these studies indicate that the level of CBB attack on organic coffee plantations is no different from conventional coffee plantations that routinely use synthetic pesticides. This indicates that in organic coffee plantations, natural enemies have played an important role in suppressing the development of CBB populations. Although the use of synthetic pesticides in conventional coffee plantations can suppress pest populations, it is suspected that these pesticides also play a role in reducing the population of natural enemies of pests. Therefore, organic coffee cultivation is much more profitable, especially it can reduce the cost of buying synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, besides ensuring the safety of coffee farmers, workers, and consumers from harmful chemical contamination from pesticides.

Decomposing total factor productivity of SMEs in agricultural sector in Aceh, Indonesia

This study measures and decomposes the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of the SMEs in the agricultural sector across 23 regencies/cities in Aceh province, Indonesia during the 2015-2019 period. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), the study found a low level of SMEs’ productivity during the study period. The SMEs in Aceh province recorded different levels of TFP. Overall, the SMEs’ TFP has slightly declined, contributed mainly by an increase in efficiency level and a decline in the technical efficiency change. These findings showed the importance of adopting advanced agricultural-related technologies and implementing good SMEs’ governance principles to further improve SMEs’ TFP. Finally, the government must prioritize promoting non-productive SMEs across the 23 regencies/districts in the province by offering sufficient financial aids and conducting professional managerial training programs.

The effect of the implementation of financial accounting standards on MSMEs

Over the last two decades, the global financial landscape has changed dramatically, including the corporate and political climates, the creation of more market-based economies, and rapid technological advancements. Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is one form of market-based economies created with the most significant business opportunities and very important socially and economically in developing countries for many reasons. However, MSMEs face significant difficulty related to financial reporting standards to evaluate the achievement of business activities. Most MSMEs use a simple form for financial reporting, such as by calculating the difference between inflow and outflow from their business activities. Also, numerous previous studies that focus on Financial Accounting Standards in Indonesia are still limited. Thus, the present study investigates the factors that influence the implementation of Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Aceh Province, Indonesia. This quantitative study uses cross-sectional data collected by distributing 200 questionnaires to MSMEs actors that spread North Aceh Regency, namely Lhokseumawe city and Bireuen regency. The data are analyzed using descriptive statistics (e.g., frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistic (multiple linear regression) analyses. The study indicated that Perception, Education, Socialization and Incentive factors had significant positive effects on implementing Financial Accounting Standards of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Aceh Province, Indonesia. In conclusion, this study has successfully investigated the factors that influence the implementation of Financial Accounting Standards of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Aceh Province.

Technical efficiency of rice farming in Aceh Province, Indonesia

This study measures the technical efficiency of rice farming in Aceh Province, Indonesia. A sample of 5,351 households from the 2017 Household Farming Cost Structure Survey conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics of Aceh Province, Indonesia were gathered and analysed using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Three inputs (i.e., number of labour working days, fertilizer, and seeds) and one output (i.e., number of rice harvest) were used to measure the technical efficiency of rice farming in the province. The study recorded a very low average level of technical efficiency either using a Constant Return to Scale (CRS) or a Variable Return to Scale (VRS) approaches. Two inputs were found not optimal for rice farming activities, namely the number of labour working days and the use of fertilizers, while the use of seeds was found optimal. The study suggests that the farmers should use fertilizers proportionately to the land area. The use of agricultural technology should be intensified to minimize the use of excess labour to reduce wage spending.