Steering their own Course
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Farmer Groups in Indonesia
July 2007
Mugo Langgeng (ML) is a farmer self-help group in the village of Kisik, not far from the city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Kisik is small, made up of only about 135 houses set in an open plain, and surrounded by small hills and rice fields.
Time-honoured, low-cost agricultural practices and adapted seeds are among the greatest resources of the farmers here, and are passed from generation to generation. However, the promotion of modern agricultural practices, with the promise of higher yields, has undermined the use of traditional practices in much of Indonesia, threatening indigenous resources.
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| Fransiskus Naryanto (right) and his friend Joyo Prasetyo are both members of ML |
Working together
The farmers of Kisik established ML in 1999 in an effort to conserve that specialized knowledge, improving life in the village. USC’s Indonesian partner, SATUNAMA, has worked with ML since 2003 to encourage farmers to adopt ecologically sound agricultural practices and re-integrate traditional practices and knowledge into their work. By helping organize training for members on organic farming practices and local seed preservation, SATUNAMA and ML are using the resources of the past to rebuild the rural economy for the future.
Fransiskus Narianto, the group’s secretary, says the villagers have really taken the training to heart and it has made an enormous difference. “The quality of Kisik’s land has improved since farmers moved away from the commercial agriculture approach,” he says.
Self-Sustaining
Farmers have learned how to produce inputs like fertiliser and seeds locally, and they now save money because they don’t need to buy from outside sources. “I remember when we had to rely on the outside world for many things,” says Narianto. “I’m more confident about the future of Kisik.”
In the nearby village of Pagerharjo, another farmer self-help group is ready to stand on their own. For years, the Pagerharjo group has concentrated on promoting organic farming. Their reasons? Sustainability and concerns about the impact that chemicals used in commercial farming could have on community health.
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| One of many rice fields in Kisik |
Members of the Pagerharjo group are happy with the progress they’ve made and, after several years of help from SATUNAMA, are ready to phase-out the support they receive. They’ve now established a network with five other farmer groups in their area and plan to work more closely with local government representatives if they need support in the future.
USC is doing similar work with all its partners – encouraging farming groups to rely on their own knowledge and skill to strengthen agricultural livelihoods in sustainable ways. Narianto has seen the success of the group in Pagerharjo and is hopeful that Mugo Langgeng will also be able to stand on its own in a few years.
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USC Canada
was founded by
Dr Lotta Hitschmanova in 1945. Our award-winning Seeds of Survival program promotes vibrant family farms, strong rural communities, and healthy ecosystems around the world.
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