Farm unites students, soldiers

JAKARTA (JP): Soldiers and dozens of students from 25 universities in Greater Jakarta have joined forces to cultivate unused land in Bekasi.

The land, acquired mostly by property developers, is being cultivated for people who lost their jobs during the economic crisis. Quick-yielding crops, such as vegetables, peanuts and maize are being grown.

"The students were interested in the project after they saw the results," spokesman for Jakarta Military Command Lt. Col. DJ Nachrowi said Wednesday.

The students visited the Armed Forces civic mission project in Setu village, Bekasi, on Tuesday when soldiers and locals started farming the unused land.

The students came from the Teachers Training Institute (IKIP), Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN), Hotel and Tourism Academy (APP), Borobudur University, and 17 Agustus University.

The students will cultivate a 3,000-square-meter plot of land near the 22 hectares that soldiers are tilling, Nacrowi was quoted by Antara as saying.