Farming was commonly related to farmland and garden plots as the medium. However, the women on Anambas Island were able to cultivate vegetables over the sea. The housing condition, in which most houses were located over the sea, didn’t waver the farmers’ spirit. These women managed to adapt and grow their gardens amidst the unideal situation.

Nurmi, a mother of three, is a notable woman who successfully cultivated vegetables. Despite her house being on stilts over the sea, Nurmi successfully developed a garden on wood planks outside her house. Her training from Yayasan Bina Tani Sejahtera (YBTS) helped her succeed. Last year, Nurmi learned more about the crop cultivation process, such as seeding and transplantation. She began by focusing on growing chili and water spinach.

Her family was active in helping to grow the garden, from preparing the medium, seeding, and transplantation to the harvesting process. Thus, it was unsurprising that the garden kept improving and became more productive. Slowly, Nurmi also added new commodities like caisim and cucumber. Initially proposed for personal consumption, the harvest result is now being sold in the market for extra income.

We hope the new farming options can motivate more citizens who live over the sea to start farming. This activity will increase the nutritional intake for the families and improve their economic condition.