POWER RELATIONS AND INEQUALITIES IN AGRARIAN ACCESS IN THE SUGARCANE PLANTATION SECTOR OF CIKEDUNG

Abstract

The sugarcane plantation sector constitutes an important agrarian activity that plays a significant role in the dynamics of rural economies in Indramayu Regency. On the one hand, sugarcane plantations contribute to economic activity, employment opportunities, and the sustainability of the sugar industry. On the other hand, the management of agrarian resources within the sugarcane plantation sector may generate issues concerning the distribution of land control, access to resources, relationships between landowners and tenant farmers, and power relations among local communities, plantation companies, government institutions, and other local actors. This study aims to analyze power relations and inequalities in agrarian access within the sugarcane plantation sector in Cikedung, Indramayu Regency. The study employs a qualitative approach with a critical perspective and a descriptive-analytical method. Research data were collected through field observations, in-depth interviews, documentation, and a literature review. The analysis draws upon Michel Foucault's perspective on power relations and Ribot and Peluso's theory of access. The findings indicate that agrarian access is determined not only by formal land ownership but also by actors' capacity to control economic capital, social networks, information, policies, technology, and institutional legitimacy. Power relations within the sugarcane plantation sector are shaped through interactions among the state, plantation companies, landowners, tenant farmers, agricultural workers, and local communities. Inequalities in access emerge when certain groups possess greater capacity to control agrarian resources, while communities with weaker economic and political positions tend to have limited access to land and livelihood resources. These conditions demonstrate that agrarian issues in Cikedung are not merely concerned with the distribution of land but also involve power structures that determine who has the capacity to obtain, maintain, and control access to agrarian resources. Therefore, more inclusive, transparent, and equitable agrarian governance is needed, with stronger mechanisms to empower local communities and ensure their meaningful participation in decision-making processes concerning the utilization and management of agrarian resources.