Ordianus Kolo is a young man from Weihura Village, West Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, whose life story reflects both the challenges and opportunities faced by rural youth. Before turning to agriculture, Ordi tried his luck in Bali, where he worked as a fisherman. However, the uncertain and unstable income meant that his life never really progressed, until he decided to return to his hometown. 

His turning point began when he met Yayasan Bina Tani Sejahtera (YBTS) through the support of a Technical Field Officer (TFO). Through training sessions, Ordi was introduced to the cultivation of Gustavi F1 tomatoes (Cap Panah Merah). With strong determination, he opened his land and planted 1,800 tomato plants.

The challenges came swiftly when a long drought struck. Out of the 1,800 plants, 1,200 died, leaving only about 600 alive. While the situation was discouraging, Ordi did not give up. He continued to care for the remaining plants until they produced tomatoes that brought new hope to his family. “I used to work as a fisherman with an uncertain income. Now, through tomato farming, I can see a better and clearer future for my family,” he said.

From the 600 surviving plants, Ordi harvested 1,196 kilograms of tomatoes, generating an income of Rp25,955,000. This achievement became the foundation for his next step. Today, he has expanded his farmland to 2,000 m², cultivating pak choi, cucumber, shallots, and watermelon, which have brought him a total profit of around Rp52 million.

His journey shows that with perseverance, the right knowledge, and the courage to take risks, rural youth can carve out new paths for themselves. Ordi is not only building a better livelihood for his family but also inspiring other young people that farming can indeed be a promising future.