TLM-GMIT Foundation’s Strategy in Spreading Integrated Farming “Virus” Through Productive Garden

By jerrybrand,
Improving Farmers Capacity with Comparative Study

Tanaoba Lais Manekat GMIT Foundation (YTLM-GMIT) invited its assisted village community to transform unproductive land into productive to produce foodstuff that later be processed and sold as additional income source.

Currently, productive gardens facilitated by TLM are 8 gardens located in 8 villages, which are Sahraen and Nekmese in Kupang Regency, Enonabuasa and Kiubaat in South East Timor (TTS) Regency, Kolobolon, Maubesi and Lidamanu in Rote Ndao Regency and 1 productive Garden in East Sumba Regency, in Ngaru Kanoru.

The plants grown consist of vegetables and fruits that cultivated organically, make them safe to consume. Aside from productive garden, TLM Foundation also procures water project for productive garden using hydraulic ram technology or well known as hydram pump. The use of hydram pump is because the location of productive garden is higher than water source so a technology to irrigate water to garden for maximal plants care is necessary.

Productive garden has been so profitable for many of village community. Those who previously rarely consumed vegetables and fruits because the lacks of knowledge about land processing are now able to consume the food easily. Productive garden also created job for those who are ready to sell their crops.

To improve farmers’ knowledge and capacity in land processing and proper integrated farming technique that applies modern plant pattern, TLM Foundation provided opportunity for the farmers of new productive garden to conduct comparative study by visiting productive garden in TLM assisted villages that have been successfully developed the integrated productive garden.

Recently, from 10 to 13 July 2018, TLM Foundation gave opportunity to 5 productive garden member of Sahraen village in South Amarasi Sub-district, Kupang Regency with 1 village facilitator to visit Kolobolon and Lidamanu. In this comparative study, TLM Foundation presented 15 productive garden members from Maubesi with its village facilitator.

The comparative study done in 4 days was to provide opportunity for Sahraen and Maubesi productive garden member to directly observe dragon fruits cultivation process and its business concept developed in Kolobolon since 2014.

Organic productive garden of Kolobolon village has been successfully grown dragon fruits with unique flavor and it brought an excellent impact for the garden members of the garden where there are 70 dragon fruit plants that has bore fruits which have helped each member to get additional income from the crops. Until now, Kolobolon garden group has planted 10000 dragon plants and within 1 year, they can enjoy the outcome.

Tuti Aritonang, head of TLM Foundation transformation division stated her expectation of the comparative study, that she wishes the farmer involved in the study can learn and watch directly and can apply what they have learnt; that is holistic farming concept in their village.

“The members of productive garden now can enjoy the benefits of productive garden farming. They have been very successful within these 4 years and been enjoying the result. So they are blessed to bless. They can share their experience with members from other gardens by facilitating them so they can apply integrated farming technique to improve their life standard,” Said Tuti.

There are also other things observed and learnt by Sahraen and Maubesi productive garden members during comparative study such polyculture, seedbed making, plant rotation, organic fertilizer making using burnt straw as substitute of urea fertilizer, dragon fruit land preparation, cutting, nursery, planting, fertilization and plant care.

Moreover, the members were also equipped with post harvest processing, group management, the benefit of individual or group saving in TLM Saving and Loan Cooperative, effective and efficient clean water utilization that not only for productive garden needs but also for clarias catfish cultivation and poultry farm etc.

One of comparative study participant from Sahraen, Leksi Sufmena who are the group leader expressed his happiness of the chance from TLM Foundation so they can directly learn from successful and independent garden and they can become more open-minded in processing their garden effectively and efficiently.

“On behalf of Niwukor and Sahraen, we want to thank TLM Foundation who has invited us to this comparative study. We are so happy with this study. We are truly inspired with the success of Kolobolon and Lidamanu productive garden. Watching directly and closely like this uplifts our passion. With the new knowledge and experience of dragon fruit cultivation, we can try the method in our gardens,” Said Leksi after the comparative study session.

Revoked The Plan of Joining TKI Because of The Availability of Income Source in Village Through Productive Garden

By jerrybrand,

 The Role of TLM – GMIT Foundation in Preventing Human Trafficking

Productive Garden Program that has been implementing by Tanaoba Lais Manekat GMIT since 2014 is a top program who has been invaluable for society of NTT because aside from increasing community’s income, it is helpful for government in providing jobs in village in order to decrease and prevent village community to seek for job outside village which leads to high rate of Human Trafficking in NTT.

Human Trafficking is all form of human trade and exploitation domestically or internationally through mechanism of coercion, thread, abduction, deception and deceit or putting someone in a state of forced labor such forced prostitution, domestic slave, debt incurred or other slavery practices.
According to ION (International Organization for Migration), until the beginning of 2018, there are 8.876 human trafficking victim from Indonesia.

Noticing this problem, TLM Foundation feel called morally to commit GMIT Church diaconia started to think of a solution to help government and society to reduce the high rate of human trafficking. One of the solution offered is to create jobs and income source by utilizing available resource, that is transforming unproductive land into productive garden which produces productive plants with economic values to help society in improving their life standard, whether from health or economy aspect.

Since 2013, TLM Foundation through its village facilitator has been implementing the program in several villages including Kiubaat, South Amanuban, TTS (South Central Timor).

Bildad Tefu is one of productive garden members in Kiubaat Village. He was born in Oeupun, Kiubaat in 16 February 1967. Bildad could only finished primary school because of his family’s economy state. He then worked as a construction worker. Getting bored with his job, he decided to go to Sulawesi in 2003 to work in oil palm plantation. After several years of living in Sulawesi, he went back to Kiubaat and he got married to his beloved wife, Berta Lape. Both are blessed with 2 children.

Economy situation forced him to work hard so he can fulfill his family’s need of food, clothing and house. He planned to join TKI (Indonesian migrant worker) program offered by some factions. But after some times, he met agriculture facilitator of TLM who offered productive garden program.
His family and his neighbor then agreed to form agriculture group, transforming unproductive land owned by his family that finally brought additional income to cover their daily needs, moreover to give good nutrient for his wife and children.

Bildad finally decided not to join TKI program offered to him. Couple of months after, he heard that the program was illegal.

“Praise the Lord, now I have income. I do not have to go abroad just to suffice my family’s need. We can actually earn money in village if we want to be diligent”. Said Bildad

“With TLM Foundation who wants to assist, guide and teach us about modern agriculture technique, we already have crops in 2014. From our sale of chili, tomato, papaya, dragon fruits and others plants, my wife and I could save for our children’s education, daily consumption and we can even build a house. Now I have no desire to go abroad for working”. He continued.

Productive Garden Water Project Procurement

By jerrybrand,

Productive garden water project procurement in Enonabuasa uses natural spring water that is located 20metre lower than productive garden area. To irrigate water from source to  garden, TLM together with local people use generator set pump machine to  ease and save energy in irrigating horticultural plants in productive garden.

The water infrastructure project covers :

1.Water motor pump (generator set)

2.HDPE pipe and plastic pipe

3.Fiber tank

4.Water tanks

All these intallation process involve local community (10 members of productive garden). This water infrastructure project can fulfill 0,3 acre of productive garden  water need

 

Weir that was not used by villagers before

 

Water tank around productive garden area.

 

Traditional well around productive garden area.

 

Culvert material for well renovation project

 

Well renovation in Enonabuasa

 

Well provided by TLM is ready to be used.

 

Officials and Community Training on Village Establishment based on 2014 Village Law.

By jerrybrand,

On 2014, Government declared a policy to establish nation from village and it is followed up by the published of Village Law Number 6 Year 2014.

Villages are given autonomy to manage the establishment from planning to developing. Every year, Government provide village fund from APBN (Regional Revenues and Expenditures Budget). The management of the budget is the responsibility of village officials and village community. TLM Foundation takes part to improve the capacity of the officials and the community to implement village establishment.

The program is “Officials and Community Training about Village Establishment  on the implementation of Village Law Number 6 Year 2014”.

A meeting to discuss training schedule

 

Village Information System Training for Village Officials

 

Training of Community Participation in Village Establishment

 

Community Training of Village Establishment Plan

 

Village Official Mentoring in making Village Level Planning and Development

 

Enonabuasa village head atteded training of making RKP/RPJMdes