Minister Changes Rules, Landless Farm Labourers Can Now Access Agricultural Machinery
The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) is expanding access to agricultural machinery assistance (alsintan) for farm labourers who do not own land. The rule change opens opportunities for farm labourers who were previously not included in the recipient groups to obtain machinery and increase their income through agricultural services.
Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman said farm labourers have faced obstacles in accessing assistance because they do not own land and have not joined farmer groups. Through the rule change, they can form groups with the assistance of field agricultural extension officers (PPL).
“Labourers could not receive it because they were not in a group and did not own land. We are opening this up so that their welfare improves,” Amran said during an inspection of pump irrigation in Karawang, West Java, Monday (31/8/2026).
So far, agricultural machinery assistance has mostly been distributed to farmer groups that own land. As a result, landless farm labourers have been outside the reach of the programme even though their income depends on work in the agricultural sector.
Amran said the rule change was made after finding a similar problem during a visit to Central Java. The finding was then followed up by amending the Minister of Agriculture Regulation (Permentan).
“The Permentan is already in effect, it is done. When we went to Central Java last month we found a similar issue, and upon returning we immediately amended the Permentan,” the Minister said.
During the inspection in Karawang, Amran also found a farm labourer who collects grass earning only Rp30,000 per day. The work is not available every day and can at most be done three times a week.
Under these conditions, the farm labourer’s income is only around Rp240,000 per month. This situation illustrates the income limitations faced by agricultural workers without land.
Under the new rule, farm labourers can form groups with a minimum of around 10 members. PPL officers will help establish the groups and submit data on prospective aid recipients for verification.
The assistance that can be accessed includes pumps, harvesting equipment, two-wheel tractors (TR2), and four-wheel tractors (TR4). Distribution is carried out in stages, taking into account the needs and readiness of the recipient groups.
“It starts today. Pumps are available, harvesting equipment, TR2 and TR4 tractors, everything is complete,” Amran said.
The machinery can later be used by farm labourer groups to provide services to farmers. Under this scheme, farm labourers have the opportunity to earn additional income and no longer rely solely on daily wages.
The policy also expands the target of the agricultural modernisation programme to community groups that do not own land. PPL officers serve as the entry point to reach farm labourers who have not yet joined groups and have not received agricultural machinery assistance.