# Socioeconomic Impact of Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreaks on Smallholder Cattle Farmers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

## TL;DR

This study explores how socioeconomic factors influence the spread and impact of Foot and Mouth Disease among smallholder cattle farmers in Indonesia.

## Contribution

The study provides empirical evidence linking farmer characteristics to FMD risk and economic loss, emphasizing targeted control strategies.

## Key findings

- FMD increased treatment costs by IDR 258,000 to IDR 270,000 for infected farmers.
- Farmer characteristics like income and decision-making roles heighten FMD infection risk.
- FMD altered social behaviors related to animal health knowledge and practices.

## Abstract

This study investigates how farmers’ social and demographic factors influence the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in livestock and its economic impact on smallholder farmers in Indonesia. The goal was to assess the effects of these factors on FMD infection and the financial strain it places on farmers. The findings revealed that FMD altered farmers’ behaviors regarding animal health and increased their treatment costs. This study concluded that factors like economic situation, decision-making roles, and cattle ownership heightened the risk of FMD. It emphasizes the importance of prioritizing high-risk farmers in FMD control efforts to reduce both social and economic burdens.

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) poses significant challenges to livestock management and agricultural economies worldwide. This study examines the effect of farmers’ sociodemographic factors on livestock infected with Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and analyzes its socioeconomic impact on smallholder farmers in Indonesia. This study collected data from 992 households (202 infected and 790 non-infected) in the special region of Yogyakarta province. The research used propensity score matching (PSM) treatment effect analysis to assess the socioeconomic impact of FMD outbreaks on smallholder farmers. Our results demonstrated that FMD significantly increased (p < 0.01) smallholder farmers’ social behavior, including knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP). Furthermore, farmers whose animals are already infected with FMD must spend an additional IDR 258,000 to IDR 270,000 on treatment compared to non-infected ones. This study provides empirical evidence that farmer characteristics, including women’s decision-making, income, farming group, and cattle ownership, determine the likelihood of FMD infection, which implies that farmers with specific characteristics may heighten the risk of FMD infection. We concluded that FMD has changed social behavior and accelerated economic loss for smallholder farmers. Hence, farmers with animals at risk of FMD infection are prioritized in FMD control programs.