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Antropologi Indonesia

Abstract

This paper centers on Indramayu's designation as the "national rice barn" (Daerah Lumbung Padi Nasional). Contrary to the believed narrative, our findings show that Indramayu’s agricultural dreams have been subsidized by other income generating activities, particularly from migrant remittance. We argue that the extensive environmental degradation and ecological vulnerabilities experienced in Indramayu have compelled small-scale farmers to pursue opportunities as migrant workers to sustain and expand their agricultural endeavors. Considering the inherent risk of fraud, robbery, blackmailing, human trafficking, physical and mental torture experienced by migrant workers, we suggest this agrarian imagination as "cruel optimism" that Indramayu farmers endure while bearing the prestigious "national rice barn" title. This perspective then opens up room for counternarratives that challenge the neoliberal optimism surrounding migration and rural development in Indonesia and beyond.

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