Riaupulp helps farmers to transform barren land into productive

Riaupulp helps farmers to transform barren land into productive areas

Farmers in Riau province have transformed barren land into productive areas, based on an integrated farming system with zero waste, thanks to technical and financial assistance provided by PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (Riaupulp).

"More than 2,600 farmers from 71 villages in six regencies -- Pelalawan, Kuantan Singingi, Siak, Rokan Hulu, Kampar and Pekanbaru -- have participated in the scheme, which was introduced in April 1999 with the aim of empowering society," said Elyas, the director of Riaupulp's program for the empowerment of Riau's society.

He said that empowering local farmers was very important because in realizing that their land was infertile, they had been apathetic in cultivating it for agricultural use.

The land in the province mostly consists of red and yellow podzol or peat soil, any of which are not favorable for food or fruit crops. Podzol is not only poor in minerals and organisms but also too compacted, so it is difficult for water to permeate it. Meanwhile, peat soil contains too much acid and is structurally too weak for plantations.

"Farmers interested in participating in our empowerment program must first take an intensive two-week training program," Elyas said. "At the training, the most important part is raising their confidence so that they have the capacity to increase their income and welfare by working hard with systematic procedures."

The company operates two centers -- with two others still under construction -- for training the farmers in skills in agricultural farming and animal husbandry. Each center is equipped with dormitories, a lecture hall, farmland, fishponds, cattle sheds, chicken coops and a model of a farmer's home with a yard for farming.

Elyas said the number of farmers participating in training courses at the centers had so far reached 905.

At the training, participating farmers are assisted in evaluating the feasibility of some projects under the integrated farming system and are invited to determine their own projects. They are then provided with start-up resources, including access to financial and technical assistance, as well as planting materials and fish meal.

For example, they are given the choice of breeding or fattening cows. Those choosing the breeding program are each given one male and two female one-year-old cows, while those choosing the other program are given two one-year-old male cows. After a year, the breeders can return either their male or female cows, which will then be given to new participants. Whereas for those in the fattening program are asked to sell their two cows and use the cash to buy four one-year-old female cows, out of which they have the right to own two. The other two will be given to new participants.

The dung that the cows produce can be made into compost for their horticulture and food crops through the natural fermentation of microorganisms. They can also use the dung to accelerate the production of phytoplankton for their fishponds.

"To date we have distributed more than 2,300 heads of cattle to 900 families who have participated in animal breeding courses and more than 1,000 farming families have benefited from horticultural projects," Elyas said, adding that over 150,000 fish spawns had been distributed to 141 participating families.

As a result of the integrated farming system training, more than 1,100 hectares of farmland in six regencies had been cultivated with food and fruit crops, such as peanuts, corn, banana, watermelon, chili, eggplant, string beans and cucumber, he added.

To assure the success of the farmers in breeding their cows, cultivating their farmland and developing their fishponds, Riaupulp had sent field officers to supervise their work and deliver necessary resources, he said.

Elyas said the integrated farming projects had helped boost the incomes of their participants, most of whom used to earn a living from illegal logging.

"When they are economically independent, we will support them to obtain loans from banks for further development of their businesses," he said.

He said that besides farmers, Riaupulp's concept in the integrated farming system had also attracted the attention of local universities and local offices of the Army and the Air Force.

He said the Lancang Kuning University had last year invited Riaupulp to assist it in implementing the integrated farming system on its 10-hectare land in Pekanbaru, which would be developed as a research and training center for its students.

The student association of the Riau Islamic University also signed an agreement with Riaupulp on a cooperation to train farmers in the integrated farming system, he said.

Last year also saw the participation of Army and Air Force members in Riaupulp's training courses before implementing the integrated farming system on their land.

"We hope the expansion of the integrated farming system will help empower the local community and accelerate growth in their economies in line with the growth of Riaupulp's business," Elyas concluded.