S. Banten prepares for agribusiness
S. Banten prepares for agribusiness
By I. Christianto
The Jakarta Post, in cooperation with Banten West Java Tourism
Development Corporation, is presenting weekly issues on the
Banten region. This week's issue is on agriculture and
education.
CIKADU, Banten, West Java (JP): What can make people in a
rural area more fortunate than improving their skills in
environmentally healthy farming practices and other agricultural-
related activities?
Some people believe that despite the country's proliferation
of industrial factories, agribusiness will continue play a great
role.
The community in Cikadu Kampong, Tanjungjaya village,
Panimbang regency, Banten, West Java, is lucky enough to have the
opportunity to master ecologically and economically sustainable
agricultural methods.
A nonprofit organization, the South Bantenese Development
Foundation, which is associated with a private firm developing a
1,500-hectare Tanjung Lesung tourist resort in Banten, has
convinced hundreds of local farmers that they will be able to
survive and have better socioeconomic conditions if they
seriously handle their agribusiness.
Through its detailed concept, as well as a integrated training
program, the foundation has conducted several activities to
encourage the local community to be self-reliant in agribusiness
and have a permanent income. To improve their socioeconomic
conditions is the foundation's major target.
The foundation's coordinator for agribusiness, Teguh
Suprijanto, said that the community agriculture program included
natural cultivation production, fertilization processes and
market introduction.
He said that agribusiness now relied on modern resources,
markets, and other "external" conditions, so the farmers needed
to understand many things.
"We use a part of a plot originally designated for resort
construction. Due to the economic crisis, the development has
been delayed, so we can use the land," he said.
He said the area was utilized to set up a simple fertilizer
processing device, vegetable and fruit crops as well as
plantations and seeding.
"We are already able to produce a lot of organic fertilizer,
and we can sell some to Jakarta. In two months, we sold 12 metric
tons," he said.
Teguh said the agribusiness program had set up an organizing
group, hopefully comprising hundreds of farmers in the area.
"There is a chairman, a secretary, a treasurer and so on in
the group. More farmers are encouraged to participate in this
program as they won't loose anything. Instead, they will gain
income knowledge and know-how.
"The program is an attempt to introduce and train the farmers
about agribusiness. They won't be stuck here. When they feel they
already know what kind of commodities they can develop, and
understand the market, they are free to establish their own
business."
The overall aim, he said, was not to make a one-time effort
but to build up long-term capacity for self-help and self-
sufficiency among the rural community.
He said local farmers formerly used a very simple traditional
way of farming -- slash and burn -- and never used fertilizers,
innovative technology or automated devices.
"Without the knowledge of correct cultivation systems, the
farmers will grow what they have always grown and know best. In
fact, the soil here can accommodate various commodities."
Teguh, experienced in ecotourism and agriculture, said the
group had learned how to develop sustainable agriculture and how
to process and produce organic fertilizers.
"Society is characterized by extreme variations in living
conditions in rural areas. As they are accustomed in planting,
cultivating and harvesting rice, they sometimes use fertilizers
for growing beans, which is quite new for them, in the same they
do for rice. This must be and has been changed," he said.
He said that the program also allowed the farmers to identify
potential commodities or products, to comprehend appropriate
techniques to make them successfully, efficiently and sustainedly
cultivate the land and to fulfill their needs in order to
maintain production sustainability.
"The program has been developed further in a workshop using a
goal-oriented project planning approach. Participants receive
practical instruction and get work experience as well," said
Teguh.
The program is aimed at demonstrating the agricultural and
economic feasibility of sustainable agriculture, its social
benefits and its ability to strengthen rural communities, with an
emphasis on maintaining and restoring soil quality and crop
diversity and encouraging continuity and responsibility, he said.
"This know-how should be the product of very close cooperation
between the local community and the agents as well as the
program, which focuses on the community's needs. We have to
realize that some of them lack knowledge, have low levels of
motivation, and undeveloped skills," he said.
He said that, furthermore, the program was to be added to by a
larger productive farm of fruits and vegetables operated on a
commercial basis.
"It is potentially feasible to become a tourist attraction
since the location is within a huge tourist resort. Tourists can
look around and buy anything they want," he said, adding that in
the long term, the program would also receive students from
agricultural school to undertake apprenticeships.
According to Teguh, the soil is adequate to grow a variety of
produce, including oranges, lettuce, sweet tomatoes, corn,
pineapple, papaya, durian and star fruit as well as peanuts,
spinach and pumpkin.
The most appropriate measures in agribusiness are those
focusing on sustainable increases in production, such as
widespread cultivation of higher-quality food crops that produce
more stable yields, and application of appropriate agricultural
cultivation methods. Therefore, more efficient agricultural
extension services are needed to introduce innovative cultivation
methods appropriate to the site.
Teguh said that the program would eventually include livestock
and fish to extend more assistance to the local community. One of
the extension program's tasks was to disseminate practice-
oriented know-how which is economically and ecologically sound,
he said.
A program participant, Rasta, said that he was enthusiastic
about joining the program because he could learn skills,
particularly in producing organic fertilizer.
The 48-year-old father of three said that he was satisfied
because he now had a permanent income.