Nilai Kultural dalam Sistem Pembagian Lahan Garapan Komunitas Tani: Studi Kasus di Desa Kendenan, Kecamatan Baraka, Kabupaten Enrekang

Abstract

Agricultural land allocation in agrarian communities functions not only as a mechanism for distributing economic resources but also as a socio-cultural institution that regulates access, responsibilities, and relationships among community members. This study examines the cultural values underlying the cultivation land allocation system practiced by the farming community of Kendenan Village, Baraka District, Enrekang Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. A descriptive qualitative case-study design was employed. Informants were selected purposively and comprised traditional leaders, community leaders, farmer-group leaders, and farmers directly involved in land allocation and management. Data were collected through direct observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Data analysis followed the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, involving data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The credibility of the findings was established through source, method, and theoretical triangulation. The findings show that cultivation rights are allocated through a rotational or rolling mechanism based on kinship ties, family participation in initial land clearing, farming capacity, household needs, and collective deliberation. The system embodies the cultural values of justice, deliberation, mutual cooperation, social solidarity, collective responsibility, kinship, and respect for ancestral heritage. These values strengthen community participation, expand access to productive land, reinforce social cohesion, and provide a locally accepted mechanism for preventing and resolving conflict. Nevertheless, the system faces increasing pressure from limited land availability, rising production costs, declining youth participation in agriculture, and changing perceptions of land as an individual economic asset. This study demonstrates that culturally grounded land allocation constitutes an adaptive local institution that integrates distributive justice, social legitimacy, and sustainable community-based agrarian resource management..