Muhammad Slamet: Tending Brantas River’s Upstream Together

KOMPAS/DEFRI WERDIONO

Muhammad Slamet

Enrolling at a farmer field school has led to Muhammad Slamet (47) and his friends initiating a green and energy conservation program. A check dam that they have been building over the past six years further strengthens their effort to tend to Brantas River’s upstream areas in Malang regency, East Java.

On Tuesday (16/2/2021) afternoon, Slamet showed several photos of he and several other members of Usaha Maju Farmers Group from Bendrong Hamlet, Argosari Village, Jabung subdistrict, constructing a dam and gully plugs made of stones and gabion wires. The gully plugs are built in trenches less than 2 meters wide. To date, 8 flood-retaining dams and 54 gully plugs have been built, scattered in several ditches on people\'s land plots which have now been transformed into community forests.

Also read: A Story of Loyalty to the Forest

The main objective of the dam construction is to minimize soil sedimentation, which often spills into ditches and the Brantas River during the rainy season. Controlling erosion is particularly of urgency since the topography of the community forest is fairly steep.

The construction of the dam and the gully plugs were founded upon a cooperation between the local residents and Brantas Rives Basin Area Management Center (BPDAS). Bendrong Hamlet is located in the basin area of Amprong, which is a sub-basin area of Brantas River’s upstream section. The location is on the northeast side of Malang regency, specifically near Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. “The development [of the dam and the gully plugs] has been self-managed since 2015. The Brantas BPDAS provides the funding, while the farmers group handles the construction,” said Slamet, who is the initiator of the program and also the chairman of Usaha Maju Farmers Group.

Before the community forest was established, the environmental condition here had been degraded. Many trees were cut down to meet the demand for firewood.

The construction of the dam and the gully plugs is part of a green conservation initiative led by Slamet and members of his farmers group. Since it was first developed in 2010, the area of the community forest has continued to increase and has now reached 80 hectares, scattered in several locations. Within the community forests, there are numerous plants, starting from food crops, forage grasses and various trees.

“Before the community forest was established, the environmental condition here had been degraded. Many trees were cut down to meet the demand for firewood. Consequently, its impact was very palpable. In the agriculture sector, drought often occurred during the dry season, while landslides happened during the rainy season,” said Slamet, who is also a father of three.

Also read: A Story of Loyalty to the Forest

KOMPAS/DEFRI WERDIONO

Muhammad Slamet

Energy independence

Together with the development of the green conservation program, Slamet and his friends have also initiated an energy conservation program. They attempt to process livestock waste into alternative energy. Their effort has produced good results. Cow manure, which previously polluted the environment and could trigger social conflicts, is now processed into biogas.

Bendrong is now independent in terms of energy resources. The total number of permanent biogas reactors or digesters stands at 157 units. Previously, the number had even reached 234 units, most of which were made of plastics. However, a portion of the reactors or digesters were broken and have yet to be upgraded into brick-based (permanent) reactors or digesters.

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The utilization of biogas has a great potential in Bendrong considering the large number of dairy cows in the hamlet. Out of 500 families in the hamlet, 360 of them own livestock. Regardless, only 154 households process their cow manure. Apart from the limited space of the local residents’ houses, financial problems have posed a difficulty as well in biogas management.

The green and energy conservation initiative also works in tandem with a concerted effort to provide clean water for local residents. Previously, water sources were left as they were. Consequently, those who resided in areas with a higher elevation received more water than those in the lower area.

“We try to manage clean water in groups. This is an effort as well to protect water sources. We started the initiative in 2008, but it could only be fully realized in 2013. We formed Water User Association (Hipam). Since then, the use of water has been regulated, fixing a rate of Rp 350-400 per cubic meter of water used. The rates are progressive. Those who use less than 20 cubic meters of water are charged Rp 350 per cubic meter, while those who use more than 20 cubic meters of water are charged Rp 400 per cubic meter,” explained Slamet.

KOMPAS/DEFRI WERDIONO

Muhammad Slamet

Bendrong’s success in becoming a green and energy independent hamlet has led Slamet and Usaha Maju Farmers Group to receive numerous awards not only at the regional level, but also at the national level.

The national awards they have received include the National Energy Award for the initiative category from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry (2011), Kalpataru Award from the Environment and Forestry Ministry for the category of environmental saver (2013) and the Climate Village Program, also from the Environment and Forestry Ministry (2013).

Bendrong has also been visited frequently by people from outside the region, particularly those who want to learn about the hamlet’s initiatives and students who want to do research. Meanwhile, Slamet is often invited to share his knowledge and experience.

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According to Slamet, the initiatives began in 2008, specifically when he and 24 other members of farmers group were invited to enroll in a farmer field school founded by a nongovernmental organization. During their time in the farmer field school, Slamet and his friends became aware of the significance of forest degradation and environmental pollution by livestock waste.

“It prompted us to formulate an action plan, including replanting the forest. Other than that, we’re also consider processing livestock waste into biogas. Our hope was that it could lessen the destructive impacts [of the livestock waste] on the forest,” said Slamet.

Slamet’s work to protect the environment does not stop here. They plan to “regenerate” their environmental protection efforts by involving the youth in the hamlet. He has formed a new organization filled with the local youth to focus on the agriculture sector, water management and other social and forestry issues.

Muhammad Slamet

Born: Malang, Aug. 18, 1974

Wife: Asmi Arum (40)

Children: M. Fahmi Rosyadi, Ahmad Yasrif, Fahri Muhajir, Mahira Salma Qotrunada

Education:

· Argosari 2 elementary school

· MTs PPPI Tumpang

· MA PPPI Tumpang

This article was translated by Astria Z. Nabila.