Madaya Food Gardens Programme Activates Land to Boost Food Security

Dompet Dhuafa has launched the ‘Kebun Pangan Madaya’ programme at the Pesantren Tahfiz Green Lido (PTGL) in Sukabumi, West Java. The programme is a community empowerment movement that encourages the use of residential land, office yards, community gardens, and underutilised productive land to become family food sources as well as new economic resources. Ahmad Juwaini, Chairman of the Dompet Dhuafa Foundation, stated that the foundation continues to expand the benefits of empowerment programmes while strengthening food security. He noted that PTGL serves as a marker for the rolling out of the Kebun Pangan Madaya programme, which is also part of Dompet Dhuafa’s 33rd anniversary celebrations. The programme integrates aspects of food security, environmental preservation, family income enhancement, and agricultural education that can be easily applied by the community. Dompet Dhuafa is also rolling out the programme simultaneously in several cities, involving volunteers and local residents. Based on 2026 data, productive green environments initiated by Dompet Dhuafa’s Free Health Services (LKC) through the Healthy Community Gardens for Sustainable Food Security programme have spread across 10 provinces: Aceh, South Sumatra, Banten, West Java, Central Java, Central Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and Papua. Covering 13 community garden points with 247 household-scale units, the programme has involved 765 beneficiaries and 124 cadres with 100 percent support for supplementary feeding from local food sources. Challenges in fulfilling the Kebun Pangan Madaya programme include land tenure certainty, stakeholder commitment, and environmental factors. The programme requires institutional strengthening and land legality to ensure its sustainability. Dedi Yuda, representing the Cicurug Sub-district Head, said the food garden programme is an initiative supported by the government to fulfil nutritional needs and improve the community’s economy. He assessed that the programme aligns with government objectives and must be fully supported, particularly for community-based economic improvement. The launch of the food garden is expected to build an empowerment ecosystem involving cultivation assistance, strengthening of community institutions, development of agricultural-based businesses, and market access. Tusih, a 54-year-old beneficiary of the programme, said the food garden at PTGL has provided direct benefits for her and her family. Beyond direct food fulfilment, she has also gained economic benefits from selling the produce.