Sharing a basic belief that poverty eradication is a road to peace, we realize that in “after violence situation” of Aceh, peace building program without empowerment of the most underprivileged groups will mean nothing than earn for future conflict.
As part of our empowerment strategy, we are implementing organic agriculture program; targeting under-poverty level and conflict victim households in Aceh Barat.
The Program is consisted of various interrelated activities:
Trainings in Organic Farming Method
Our training team provides basic and advance trainings in organic agriculture method for our beneficiaries and other farmer groups (by request). Focused on improvement of practical skill of the farmers, the training topics include principles of organic agriculture, organic fertilizer and pesticides production, cultivation of various organic plants, and self-management of the farmers. Ten farmer groups in 10 communities were already trained in 2006. In 2007 we organized 2 series of advanced training for the same participants.
Community Centers and Experimental Gardens
To support the empowerment program for farmers, we organize organic experimental gardens in 2 sub-districts in Aceh Barat: Bubon and Woyla.
Support for farmers in 10 communities
Since 2006, we provided supports for 200 households of farmers in 10 villages in Bubon and Woyla. By “natural selection”, the number decreased to 136 in 2007. They are serious farmers who really made good use of our supports (proved by good harvest in their individual/private gardens). In the future we plan to facilitate the development of intercommunity network of these “serious farmers” to be able to manage their capital and marketing their products.
[...] Farmers Empowerment through Organic Farming Program [...]