When the Punk Community in Gunungkidul En Masse Becomes Young Farmers

The punk community in Kalangan, Ngipak, Karangmojo, Gunungkidul is developing agriculture without using chemical fertilisers or pesticides. The community, united under Petani Punk Gunungkidul, is encouraging the young generation in their village to become farmers en masse.

A representative of Petani Punk Gunungkidul, SiBagz, revealed that he had been away for 11 years and returned to Gunungkidul in 2015. Initially, he and his friends would sit by the rice fields, laughing at elderly farmers still working in their twilight years.

“But when I returned home, I started thinking, what if there is no regeneration of farmers,” SiBagz told reporters on Wednesday (15/4/2026).

SiBagz eventually asked his parents’ permission to pawn the land certificate. The money from the pawn became his capital for farming.

“I used that money to farm; at that time, I didn’t understand much about agriculture, but the intention was there first. Especially since I’m a farmer’s son, so I have to be able to farm,” he said.

Afterwards, SiBagz began receiving loans of agricultural land from villagers. He and 15 of his fellow punk youths then worked on 1,500 square metres of farmland.

“I still remember, at that time, because I didn’t understand agriculture, someone broke the sprayer because they didn’t know how to use it,” he said.

SiBagz and his friends eventually received guidance from one of their colleagues. From there, SiBagz and his fellow punks were helped to produce organic fertilisers and pesticides.

“We try as much as possible to avoid chemical materials for farming. In the end, we make natural fertilisers and pesticides, with ingredients from goat urine for calcium to rice wash water for protein; for pesticides, we use ginger and other spices,” he said.

That effort eventually bore fruit. They successfully harvested shallots, and the proceeds could be used to repay the pawn debt on his parents’ land certificate.

From there, the Petani Punk Gunungkidul community emerged. Currently, the number has grown to 40 people, with 15 of them from Gunungkidul.

“In 2022, I took the initiative to invite the youth in Kalangan to learn planting, and finally they agreed. I invited them because most of their parents are farmers, but they never go to the fields,” he said.

He then coordinated with villagers and finally got permission to use land around the cemetery in Kalangan. He then invited local youth to plant chillies using polybags.

“At that time, there were about 1,500 polybags filled with chilli plants; they were then trained in planting, and it turned out the harvest was good,” he said.

He is also pleased that more and more young people in Kalangan are willing to farm. His mission of farmer regeneration has succeeded.

“My goal is for young people to understand and know about agriculture so that there is farmer regeneration. Don’t let investors come and they only work as security guards or other employees,” he said.

So far, the harvest from this punk community has been directly taken by collectors. The punk community members then pooled resources for farming capital.

Currently, there are three agricultural plots in Kalangan being worked by the community. The three plots are planted with rice and vegetables.

“The land is lent by villagers, and no fees are charged because it’s also for training the young people here,” he explained.