Yayasan Bina Tani Sejahtera (YBTS) collaborated with the local farmers’ training department (Badan Penyuluhan Pertanian / BPP) in creating the Training of Farmers (ToF) program. It was held in Mago Sub District, Sikka Regency, in late April 2021. The training focused on chili cultivation, as Sikka Regency still experienced local chili shortages amidst the high market demand.

“The local chili production in Sikka is still limited. We’re still importing our chili from other areas, such as Surabaya and Makassar,” said Fransiskus Adritrianto, the coordinator of BPP in Mago Sub District. He hoped the ToF program would help increase local chili production to fulfill the market needs.

A total of fifteen farmers from Nirang Sikka Farming Group participated in this program. They came from Dobo Nua Puu Village, Sikka Regency. The farmers were given training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), which included farmland management, the selection of seeds, the seeding process, fertilization selection, pest management, and post-harvest activities. All the materials were packed into fourteen trainings, which would be scheduled according to the development stages of the crops.

The representative of YBTS, Febrian Mado, hoped that the assistance could further elevate the farmers’ competence in developing their farmlands. A farmer’s excellent skills, combined with the utilization of the right farming technology, could further increase the production and productivity of the farmlands. YBTS would continue to collaborate with the local BPP to build the farming industries in Sikka. Hopefully, this training could light the local farmers’ fighting spirit, so they would continue to improve themselves and produce goods with the best quality.