Maize Becomes a Symbol of New Livelihood for Farmers in West Bandung

Maize plants stretch across Kanangasari Village, Cikalongwetan, West Bandung Regency, West Java. The expanse of hybrid maize planted on previously unproductive land has become a new source of livelihood for farmers in the region. Among them is Ita Sumitra, 60, who has been a farmer for decades. Her income was unpredictable, often only enough for a day’s meal. However, over the past four months, her fortunes have changed. Idle lands that were once only overgrown with unproductive hardwood trees have been transformed into fertile maize fields, thanks to an initiative by the Cimahi Police. “Before this, I did odd jobs, anything as long as it was lawful. So, before joining the farming programme, we were given training first. Honestly, planting maize like this is a first for me,” said Ita on Thursday. Ita is not alone. She is one of many local residents now pinning their hopes on this national food security programme. Behind millions of maize stalks turning yellow, there is the sweat and dreams of farmers wanting to improve their family’s economic standing. “Thank God for the harvest. I am certainly happy to be involved in farming maize here,” she said. The head of the neighbourhood unit in Kanangasari Village, Entin Suhartini, said a total of about 50 residents participated in planting maize. Besides receiving wages, the farmers also get rice assistance. “Thank God this food security programme has created jobs for farmers here. So besides wages, they are also given 5 kilograms of rice,” she said. To ensure the farmers’ efforts are fairly compensated, the Cimahi Police also facilitates the direct absorption of their harvest by Bulog. As of June 2026, the hard work of farmers on 334.50 hectares of land has produced 377.5 tonnes of maize. A total of 165 tonnes have been officially absorbed by Bulog because they meet high-quality standards. Furthermore, agricultural modernisation was also introduced to the residents. The farmers were facilitated with tractor ploughs, NPK fertiliser, and superior hybrid seeds to make their work in the fields easier and their yields more bountiful. Cimahi Police Chief AKBP Niko Nurallah Adi Putra stated, “The police are present to contribute directly to the government’s strategic programmes. But most importantly, through this grand harvest, we want the farmers’ economy to improve. All assistance we provide must be utilised as best as possible for their welfare.” From an ambitious target of 1,700 hectares of land with a production goal of 2,500 tonnes, this programme is slowly but surely proving one thing: when idle land is awakened and small communities are empowered, food security is no longer just a slogan, but a reality that sustains livelihoods.