Farming for Food Sovereignty

An organic farming movement is developing in Nusa Penida, Klungkung regency, Bali. In addition to meeting local food needs and generating economic output, organic farming is also a response to climate change.

COKORDA YUDISTIRA

CEO of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Carlos Manuel Rodriguez (left) during a dialogue with the managers of Sukadanta Organic Farm in Klumpu Village, Nusa Penida District, Klungkung Regency, Thursday (24/3/2022). Sukadanta Organic Farm is part of the Nusa Penida ecological program organized by the Wisnu Foundation with the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) - Small Grants Program (SGP).

On an island that is calcareous and tends to be arid, I Made Suka (42) is making an effort to produce healthy foods free of chemical fertilizers to meet the needs of his family and to generate an income. Armed with community spirit, Suka’s efforts are starting to show results.

On land measuring approximately 8 acres (around 800 square meters), in Klumpu village on Nusa Penida, Klungkung regency, Bali, Suka has planted eggplant, kale, bitter melon and marigold. In addition to meeting the needs of his family, the produce harvested at Suka Danta Organic Farm in Klumpu village is also sold to people in the neighboring villages.

“We last harvested 12 kilograms of eggplant,” Suka said on Thursday (24/3/2022) while welcoming visitors from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

At Sukadanta Organic Farm, Suka farms not only various crop vegetables but also catfish and cattle. With help from Eko Martono of the Rebo Ijo Community/Yayasan Wisanggeni, Suka and members of Sukadanta Organic Farm have built a nursery and produced organic fertilizers and biopesticides for use farming. They have dubbed the activities at Sukadanta Organic Farm as “Nusa Penida organic agriculture”.

Ketut Komang (43), the head of environment at Banjar Tengaksa, Klumpu village, said that several other local villagers were following the farming methods of I Made Suka. Komang also farms his land, cultivating vegetables and breeding catfish in a fish pond.

Also read:

> Organic Farming for Survival

> Musodikun, Pioneering Organic Farming on Swampland

“The harvested products are prioritized for family consumption, while the [surplus] is sold to neighbors or [consigned] to a shop for selling to buyers,” said Komang, who also works at the Rural Credit Institute (LPD) in Panca Merkar Sari traditional village, Nusa Penida. “The [economic] results from selling organic vegetables are not bad. Before this, we used to buy our vegetables,” Komang added.

While touring the vegetable farm, catfish pond and cowshed at Sukadanta Organic Farm, GEF CEO Carlos Manuel Rodriguez spoke enthusiastically with Suka and the national coordinator of the GEF-Small Grants Program (SGP), Catharina Dwihastarini.

The harvested products are prioritized for family consumption, while the [surplus] is sold to neighbors or [consigned] to a shop for selling to buyers.

Sukadanta Organic Farm is one of 10 activities under the Nusa Penida Ecology Program that Yayasan Wisnu has organized since 2019 with the support of GEF-SGP. The Nusa Penida Ecology Program involves several non-governmental organizations based in Bali and communities on Nusa Penida, including the Bali Environmental Education Center (PPLH), the Village Ecotourism Network, Yayasan Taksu Tridatu, Yayasan IDEP Selaras Alam, Wisanggeni, Yayasan Kalimajari, Lokamuda, I Ni Timpal Kopi, Kembali Berdaya, the Sukadanta Group and the youths of Nyuh Kukuh village on Nusa Penida.

Rodriguez expressed his hope that the organic farming program that Sukadanta Group carried out with support from GEF-SGP would expand and be sustainable. He underlined that every effort took into account its environmental and ecological value.

“It is also important to record and document, so the impacts and changes can be seen,” said Rodriguez, who was also Costa Rica’s environment and energy minister for three terms.

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

Nyuh Kukuh Integrated Waste Management Facility managed by the Bukit Keker Learning House in Ped Village, Nusa Penida District, Klungkung Regency, on Thursday (24/3/2022). The Bukit Keker Learning House is part of the Nusa Penida ecological program organized by the Wisnu Foundation with the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) - Small Grants Program (SGP).

Community empowerment

After touring Sukadanta Organic Farm, Rodriguez and his entourage visited Bukit Keker Learning House in Ped village, Nusa Penida. Bukit Keker Learning House is also part of the Nusa Penida Ecology Program that is supported by GEF-SGP. The activities at Bukit Keker Learning House are led by several village youths.

In a post-lunch discussion at Bukit Keker Learning House in Ped village, Rodriguez said organic agriculture that used local resources and included managing kitchen waste and livestock pens was also the local response to the global impacts of climate change.

“If it is maintained sustainably, the small business that was started at Sukadanta Organic Farm through the cultivation of 800 square meters of land will develop and perhaps, in the next decade, this island [Nusa Penida] can become independent by producing its own food,” said Rodriguez.

Nusa Penida is one of three islands that make up Nusa Penida district in Klungkung regency. The three islands are Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. The island cluster is composed of karst, which is why there are many layers of limestone.

Also read:

> Samin Community’s Teachings Still Relevant

Although Nusa Penida district is known to be rocky with low arability that makes it difficult to develop agriculture, the three islands that sit across from the island of Bali have become a tourist destination for their unique nature and the beauty of their white sand beaches. Tourists come to Nusa Penida for a new experience while vacationing on Bali.

I Gede Muliasa, the economic and development heads of Nusa Penida district, said tourists came to Nusa Penida to tour the island and enjoy the atmosphere at its beaches, including Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach and Diamond Beach. Muliasa said tourists generally traveled to Nusa Penida by boat from Sanur Beach Harbor, Denpasar.

However, tourism on Nusa Penida, as well as on Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, collapsed when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. The sudden drop in tourist arrivals to Bali as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic was also felt by Kadek Sukra Yata (35), a tour bus driver in Nusa Penida, as well as I Made Suka, who is also a tour bus driver.

Now, organic agriculture has inspired the people of Nusa Penida to rise again. As tourism remains sluggish, the agricultural products that they developed using environmentally friendly technology have been also able to help strengthen local food security.

Combined with their strong will, efforts and cooperation, cultivating crops and farming even a small area have provided a livelihood in their first step towards food sovereignty.

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.