In November 2020, Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve conducted training sessions aimed at strengthening the capacity of Farmer Groups (KT). The goal of these sessions was to help farmers improve their skills in cultivation and agriculture through our Peatland Farmer Field School (Peatland-FFS). The sessions were attended by 2 Farmer Groups: Harapan Jaya from Jahitan Village, and Hijau Bakung Permai from Baung Village.

This activity is a continuation of the Peatland-FFS training program held in September 2020, conducted by Rimba Raya in collaboration with the National Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG). The farmer group from Rimba Raya working area participated at that time. Aside from focusing on improving farming skills, participants were trained in preparing their land for agricultural development without the use of traditional ‘slash and burn’ methods.

During our most recent training sessions, Rimba Raya encouraged farmers to build on their traditional agricultural knowledge with a focus on non-destructive land use and the development of areas according to soil suitability. The efficient production of nutritious food while ensuring forest preservation was strongly encouraged.

The farmers were taught how to make organic fertilizers and pesticides using organic waste from their immediate environment. “Crop and forest burning actually eliminates beneficial microorganisms and nutrients, as it releases unwanted carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,” said Sylviana Andhella, Executive Director of Rimba Raya.

“Land preparation without burning and the use of organic fertilizers for agricultural practices will reduce carbon emissions and support the balance of microorganisms. This is in alignment with our project objective to reduce carbon emissions,” Andhella explained.

Additionally, the farmers were empowered to manage their own farmer organizations. This included the election of a chairman, secretary and treasurer by the group members. These positions were then ratified by the local village government.

During the training sessions, farmer groups were encouraged to develop relationships for cooperation and networking with other farmer groups around the project area. This allows them to share information, experiences and valuable lessons learned which are beneficial to all farmers.

“I am thankful that Rimba Raya included our farmer group in this initiative. We learned how to make organic fertilizer and our understanding of horticultural farming techniques has grown. We are eager to develop our farms using these strategies with the hope that we will be more successful so that we can set an example to other community farmers,” said Ardiansyah Ardian, head of Hijau Bakung Permai farmer group of Baung Village.

About Rimba Raya
The Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve is the largest REDD+ project in the world, protecting nearly 65,000 hectares of peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo and avoiding more than 130 million tons of carbon emissions. Rimba Raya is a living example of an economically viable alternative to deforestation.

Rimba Raya develops livelihood programs in surrounding villages (addressing all 17 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals) to provide education, employment and hope for the future. Rimba Raya is also the world’s largest privately-funded orangutan sanctuary, and an InfiniteEARTH Project. Please visit https://rimba-raya.com.

Contact:
Frita Junita
Communication Officer – PT. Rimba Raya Conservation
Email: rimbarayajakarta@gmail.com, HP: +62 857-1743-7001

*This Press Release was originally issued on December 5, 2020 with inaccurate Contact information. To contact Rimba Raya, please refer to the Contact information above.

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