Badak LNG Develops Sustainable Agriculture in Bontang to Tackle Drought and Pests
PT Badak Natural Gas Liquefaction (Badak LNG) continues to promote community productivity and self-reliance through its corporate social and environmental responsibility (TJSL) programmes, one of which is the Semai Bumi Programme with the Karya Bersama Farmers Group in the HOP 7 area of Bontang, East Kalimantan.
The community empowerment programme in the horticulture sector is developing various innovations to address farming challenges, particularly water shortages and pest attacks.
Director & COO of Badak LNG Feri Sulistyo Nugroho, together with the management team, reviewed the progress of the Semai Bumi Programme on Saturday (8/8). During the visit, management observed farming activities first-hand and harvested a number of horticultural products, including ridge gourd, bitter melon and aubergine.
Feri said the development of the HOP 7 farming area showed significant results compared with the previous visit.
“Actually, it was very, very surprising. It has not even been a year since I was here, and seeing the extraordinary development, seeing the variety of crops planted so massively,” said Feri.
One of the innovations developed is the construction of a borehole to support irrigation needs. The facility allows farmers to continue cultivation during the dry season so that planting and harvesting can take place more optimally throughout the year.
The borehole irrigation system is also supported by solar panels to operate the generator. The use of this energy is expected to reduce fuel consumption while lowering irrigation operating costs.
To tackle pest attacks, the Karya Bersama Farmers Group uses light traps installed at 17 points. The devices use solar panels as an energy source and help capture insect pests so that the use of chemicals in pest control can be reduced.
In addition to water and pest management, the Semai Bumi Programme is also developing the use of waste to support environmentally friendly farming.
Agricultural and livestock waste is processed into compost. Meanwhile, fishery waste from the Berkah Lautan Berjaya Group, a Badak LNG fostered partner, is used to produce Amigrow amino acid products for plants.
Badak LNG also uses calcium silicate from the company’s internal waste to help neutralise soil pH, provide calcium nutrients and strengthen plant tissue.
These various innovations are applied to 8.8 hectares of farmland managed by 17 members of the Karya Bersama Farmers Group. The land is now being developed with a variety of horticultural commodities.
Feri said the development of farming at HOP 7 is not only aimed at increasing land productivity, but also has the potential to increase farmers’ incomes and welfare as well as support food availability for the people of Bontang.
He stressed that Badak LNG will continue to develop social innovations by leveraging the company’s competencies to provide broader benefits for communities around its operational areas.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Karya Bersama Farmers Group Hadi expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by Badak LNG, particularly in the provision of facilities, activity monitoring and improving farmers’ capacity.
“With the support from Badak LNG, we have been greatly helped, whether it is about the obstacles, how to increase production, or support for facilities that were not yet available,” he said.
Through continuous monitoring and assistance, Badak LNG hopes the Semai Bumi Programme can continue to develop according to community needs and encourage farming that is productive, self-reliant and more environmentally friendly.