Enjoying fresh vegetables the healthy way

Wahyuni Kamah, Contributor, Bogor, West Java

Is it possible now to eat vegetables that are planted without using chemicals -- pesticide to kill the pest and fertilizer to enhance growth?

On the way to Puncak, in Tugu village, Cisarua, about one-hour drive from Bogor, you will find organic farming by pastor Agatho who came to Indonesia from Switzerland in 1960. The man is considered the pioneer in organic farming which covers a 3.5- hectare land in Cisarua.

His organic farm, which might be the first in the country, can be easily spotted since it is located by the street.

In 1984 pastor Agatho founded Yayasan Bina Sarana Bakti that has developed organic way in the horticulture.

"The principle of organic way is to serve others without any harm," said the pastor who has been active in the socio-economic development in the basis level since 1970.

He explained that the root of the word "organic" even stems from organon, a Greek word for tool.

"In its essence, each organ works for the whole organism, and the organism is taking care of each organ. If we understand and commit this principle of organic way, we could live in harmony with the nature," he explained.

His commitment is not only by practicing organic farming but also by disseminating the know-how of organic farming. The Center for Organic Development of Yayasan Bina Sarana Bakti, which also serves as his office, gives training to people who are interested in organic farming. The participants learn the technique by being involved in the field works.

Organic farming is about being friendly to the nature. It is also different from conventional farming, which solely depends on monoculture.

"We use multi-cropping method where a number of different plants are planted in a row of land," Umi, a staff in Bina Sarana Bakti said.

There, one can see different plants like legume, maize, cassava, red peppers are planted side by side in a row. "This could prevent the pest and at the same time maintain the fertility of the soil," she added.

The plants are also rotated depending on the season. "This method can reduce the harm of disease and pest toward the plants," Umi explained.

As expected, no chemicals are used in the farming. To fertilize the soil they use chicken manure. The soil is covered with cuts of grasses and leaves to maintain the soil humidity and to prevent the erosion. The coverage can also serve as natural fertilizer. The erosion can also be reduced by constructing shed.

And instead of using hoe-like tool to squeeze the soil, organic farming uses fork-like harrow in order to loose the soil. The farm gets water supply from the water resource in the area, which is distributed to the entire farm. The cultivation of seedling is also provided in the farming.

Now, more than 50 different vegetables are planted in the farm that is cultivated by around 100 local people. Most vegetables are green ones like parsley, broccoli, cauliflower and legumes.

"We don't plant potatoes because of the diverse pest and diseases it has," said a man who takes care for the land.

"There have been no organic farming as old and large as this in Java," said Widyastuti from Konphalindo, a Jakarta-based NGO that also works to promote organic farming among farmers adding other organic farming is in Ciwidey, Bandung.

Pastor Agatho did not think of profit when he first started to conduct the organic farming. "The principle of organic is to serve the others. By serving at its best, the results will come automatically," he said firmly.

So far, several big and reputable supermarkets in Jakarta depend on the organic vegetable supplies from Bina Sarana Bakti (BSB) organic farming.

"We also have customers that rely on organic vegetables for their consumption," said Umi, adding that people who want to buy organic vegetables can buy on the spot in the farming.

In term of prices, the organic vegetables are between 25 and 30 percent more expensive than ordinary vegetables produced by conventional horticulture method.

However, it is not the matter of price that counts but the benefit to the body and soul when consuming natural, unpolluted vegetables. According to the National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia which certifies organic production in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Indonesia to international standard, granted organic certificate to BSB for their products in 2001 during inspection.