A Closer Look to the Farmers’ Field Trip Day in South Timor Tengah
Yayasan Bina Tani Sejahtera (YBTS) held a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training in South Timor Tengah Regency. The two-day event from May 8th to 12th, 2023, was part of the Agriculture Livelihood Project (PERMATA) program. The training focused on educating and motivating the farmers in the farming process, especially in cultivating crops like vegetables and horticulture.
The representatives of the farming group and technical field officers were the event participants. They came from the neighboring areas, such as Oasusu Village (Takari Subdistrict, Kupang Regency); Kasetnana Village (Mollo Subdistrict); Oelbubuk Village (Central Mollo Subdistrict); and Ajaobaki Village (North Mollo Subdistrict). Through this event, the farmers got the opportunity to learn and share their farming experiences. The training in this program covered the technical skills in cultivating horticulture commodities, fisheries, post-harvest marketing, and partnership strategies.
Other than theoretical knowledge, the participants also got first-hand experience learning about applying organic fertilizers and solar-powered pumps. Solar-powered pumps could make the farming process run more efficiently, especially regarding water, fertilizers, and the time needed to care for the farmland. The participating farmers visited the garden plots in Oabikasi Village, Naen Village, and Noelbaun Village, which were located in North Timor Tengah Regency. These gardens had been operating with organic fertilizers. Applying organic fertilizers could make the farmlands more fertile and produce excellent quality goods.
Magdalena Bulu, the representative of Sumber Sejahtera farming groups, perceived this program as helpful in enhancing her farming skills. “PERMATA allowed us to learn new skills about good farming processes. Seeing the success of fellow true shallot seed (TSS) farmers also motivated me to keep developing my farmlands. It was more meaningful because the farmers and I battled the same weather challenge,” she explained.
This event provided knowledge and the big picture of what the farmers needed to do to develop their farmlands. We hope the YBTS’ assisted farmers will continue implementing what they have learned from this program. Let us all support the farming industries in every region of Indonesia.