Ana Leko is a farming group from Desa Pero. Among the twenty members was Cornelia Arista Bouka, known as Ibu Rista, who tirelessly encouraged the members to keep improving their farmlands. Initially, Ibu Riska and the other members cultivated corn and chili. However, the harvest result was not satisfying due to their limited knowledge and resources. The poor harvest result was reflected in the low profits obtained.
The assistance given by Yayasan Bina Tani Sejahtera (YBTS) through Agricultural Livelihood through Integrated Approach (PERMATA) project supported by William & Lily Foundation (WLF) has successfully increased the farmers’ competence. The members of Ana Leko gained knowledge that they immediately applied to their farmlands. As a result, they successfully gained IDR 10.800.000 from 1.200 tomato crops. The market sellers who come to purchase their harvested goods also feel satisfied by the superior quality of the products. The improved harvest quality further motivated the farmers to keep on elevating their farmlands.
Not only she motivated her own farming group, Ibu Rista also optimized farming as a new job opportunity for the young generations who did not pursue higher education. She provided them with seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. The young men worked hard to grow crops on 500-meter square farmlands. The revenue obtained from the harvest would be their income.
The improved harvest quality impacted not only their economic condition but also their food consumption. The citizens of Pero Village were able to eat more healthily. They had more vegetables they could consume daily, such as kangkong, tomatoes, carrots, and long beans. Those are the commodities grown by most of the farmers of Ana Leko.
In the future, Ibu Rista hoped that Ana Leko could keep on improving themselves so they could be independent. She also planned to purchase a motorcycle that could be used to distribute the harvested goods. Ana Leko was committed to continue elevating their farmlands to improve their economic condition. Ibu Rista said, “We will continue to farm because farmland is our books, and the hoe is our pens.”
