Differing attitude yields different harvests
Differing attitude yields different harvests
TAPIN, South Kalimantan (JP): Lamri and Adang live just two kilometers apart and cultivate rice on the same sort of rain-fed fields. Their fields, however, generate vastly different yields, which, in turn, has led to two different lifestyles. The differences stem from the attitude of the agricultural extension workers who trained the two farmers.
Lamri, 50, is a father of three and lives in Bakarangan village in the Tapin regency. He owns 1.25 hectares of rain-fed rice fields which produce about 8.5 tons of unhusked IR 42 rice a year. The Bakarangan farmers only harvest a crop once a year.
From this harvest, Lamri can earn Rp 3 million (US$1,304) which he must make last the entire year.
Adang, who lives in Parigi village in the same regency, leads his village's farmers' group. Farmers in Parigi own one to two hectares of rain-fed rice fields. Each hectare can produce up to seven tons of high-quality, quick-yielding IR 36 and IR 66 rice.
Unlike Lamri, Adang gets two harvests a year from his land, earning him almost twice as much as Lamri.
Lamri says irrigation is a major problem for the people of Bakarangan. The village is one of hundreds in South Kalimantan which do not have proper irrigation facilities.
Of the province's 400,000 hectares of rain and tidal-fed rice fields, only 10,000 hectares are irrigated properly.
Lamri also admits that he is reluctant to grow other rice varieties because he is not familiar with them.
"If a crop fails, it is the end of me. I won't have anything for the whole year," he says.
Many other farmers share Lamri's attitude and are reluctant to try anything new before they see concrete results.
Adang and his colleagues in nearby Parigi say they have no problem with irrigation.
Adang puts this down to proper guidance from agricultural extension workers in the village. The Parigi farmers have been taught how to take maximum advantage of the region's climate and limited water supply, and have been motivated to use high- yielding rice varieties.
"Thanks to the extension workers, we have been using the IR 36 and IR 66 rice types that give better yields," said Sabran, a friend of Adang.
"It really depends on your attitude. If a person chooses to sit around and wait for the rain to come, he will be content with the IR 42 variety and one harvest a year," Sabran added.
The result is different lifestyles in neighboring villages.
Lamri sits in the middle of his bare house smoking a cigarette recounting his life with a faraway look in his eyes.
Adang and his colleagues chat merrily, telling of their successful harvest and how they wiped out plant diseases during the previous planting season.