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.