Their interest in farming started when the youth in Alaka Hollo, Central Maluku, participated in the Training of Youth program by Yayasan Bina Tani Sejahtera (YBTS). A Learning Farm is utilized in this village to facilitate the people to learn more about vegetable farming. The youngsters, mothers, and more senior farmers around the village also come to the farm to learn. This activity sparked the youngsters’ enthusiasm for vegetable farming. They were excited to directly apply the theory they learnt on the actual farming land.

There were no fixed members in this youth farming community. Still, five young farmers diligently checked on the crops every day. These young farmers meticulously cared for the crops that grow on the ground and hydroponics medium. Nowadays, they can harvest around 1000 crops every month. With their spirit and resilience, they became the pioneer of the young generation of farmers. They would bring innovations to improve our country’s farmers further.

The farming community leaders claimed, “as the young generation, we should not be ashamed of being farmers. Being a farmer is our chance to bring innovations in the farming sectors. The regeneration of new farmers is our shared responsibility.”

Considering the significant market potential in Central Maluku, vegetable farming activity has become a source of extra income for the young farmers. With the price of lettuce and mustard ranging from IDR 8.000 – 10.000 per kilogram, the group could get profit from IDR 300.000 – 500.000 every fourteen days. In the future, these farmers hoped to diversify their land by cultivating new commodities. They also wanted to make a more stable income through farming activities.