Empowerment of the Smallholders' Cooperative for Palm Oil Plantation Replanting of Pir-Trans Scheme in Dharmasraya District West Sumatera Province, Lectures of Socioeconomic Departement, Faculty of Agriculture

In West Sumatra, cooperatives of smallholders palm oil plantation (PIR-Trans scheme) generally no longer performs its function as a social economic institution. Therefore, it needs a strategy to empower the cooperatives (KUD) in replanting period. The main objective of this study was to identify and analyze the management of KUD and find a strategy for re-functioning KUD management in order to realize the goal of sustainable palm oil plantation production. The research was conducted in Dharmasraya District. Research method is qualitative descriptive. The study found that KUD has not been able to function as a farmer's social economic institution in replanting because; a). The cooperative is not transparent and accountable b). The cooperative does not yet have data and document about their development planing and monitoring for the implementation of the strategic plan, c) Supervision, control and social responsibility have not been fully implemented. The strategy to solve the problems are: (a) The cooperative must have a financial plan for replanting; (b) The cooperative should obtain institutional guidance, develop operating standards for maintaining during the unproductive and productive period (c) The cooperative need assistance to assure markets and supplies, bargain, purchase inputs production, maintain and harvest the