Big Changes for Elisa's Life in Farming
Elisa Mnubefor, a young man has chosen to engage in farming while also serving as the leader of the youth farming group in his village. The group is called the Yawerma Farmers Youth Group in Warsansan Village, North Biak District, Biak Numfor Regency, and it underwent significant changes after connecting with the Yayasan Bina Tani Sejahtera. Initially, Elisa and his fellow youths were already involved in farming and were relatively content with the results obtained. However, after receiving assistance from YBTS, they realized that their farming methods could be much more efficient and cost-effective.
According to Elisa, there were numerous valuable lessons they acquired while undergoing training and mentorship from YBTS’ technical field officer. They learned various aspects of farming, including proper seedling techniques, correct mulching, balanced fertilization, and using pesticides correctly and safely. The Yawerma Youth Farmers Group’s garden is situated near the residential area, often attracting people to come, observe, and inquire about farming practices and various agricultural topics.
Their garden yielded crops such as water spinach, tomatoes, and curly chili peppers over a three-month period, generating an income of Rp9,300,000 despite the relatively small garden size. Elisa hopes to inspire the children of Biak and other parts of Papua to utilize available land for farming rather than remaining idle at home. “Time is money, and wasting time means wasting money. With efficient and cost-effective farming practices, such as those I and my fellow youth group members learned from YBTS, I am confident that the lives of farmers in Papua can become more prosperous and joyful,” stated Elisa with conviction.