Community Intermediaries and Targeting Trade-offs in Implementing Article 28 of Magelang Regulation No. 8/2017 in Ngablak, Indonesia

Abstract

This article examines how agricultural aid and subsidies are implemented through community-based governance under Magelang Regency Regulation No. 8/2017 on Farmer Protection and Empowerment, focusing on Article 28 which mandates that subsidies be accurate in use, targeting, timing, location, type, quality, and quantity. Using an empirical socio-legal approach (interviews, observation, and documentation), the study investigates implementation practices in Ngablak Subdistrict—a highland agrarian area with strong farmer institutions and local values. Findings show that implementation generally follows three operational stages: (1) preparation through information dissemination and proposal submission; (2) distribution of aid and subsidies; and (3) monitoring and evaluation. However, community-based delivery produces recurring trade-offs: (i) legal certainty is relatively supported by procedural mechanisms for farmer groups and gapoktan (farmers’ group associations), yet (ii) practical utility is constrained when some groups underuse assistance or shift it toward individual interests; and (iii) distributive justice is challenged as prioritization toward “active” groups can further marginalize “inactive” groups. The article contributes to “law in action” scholarship by showing how local farmer institutions function as intermediaries that translate formal rules into practical solutions—while simultaneously creating targeting and accountability dilemmas. It proposes a two-track refinement: preserving broad community access to basic production support, while tightening collective-use safeguards and verification for high-value assets through transparent group rules, participatory monitoring, and clearer eligibility communication.