Reviving the Salassae Village Ecosystem through Agribusiness

The Salassae Rural Swabina Community (KSPS) is located in Salassae Village, South Sulawesi, with a primary focus on developing natural agriculture and environmental sustainability. KSPS consists of farmers who work together to improve the village's economic independence through sustainable agribusiness practices integrated with livestock farming. KSPS also plays an active role in maintaining ecosystem balance through environmental rehabilitation and restoration efforts.

In recent years, KSPS has increasingly strengthened its role in maintaining ecological sustainability through various programs involving local communities and farmers in four surrounding villages. Awareness of the importance of maintaining environmental sustainability is the basis of the various works carried out by KSPS. With the support of the Nusantara Fund Direct Funding, KSPS initiated the Bulukumba Regency Agribusiness Station and Natural Agricultural Education Center Development program.

The series of programs running from February 1 to April 30, 2024 is a combination of infrastructure renovation, ecosystem rehabilitation; natural agricultural education; organization; and collective business management, as well as the establishment of an integrated business unit, the Agribusiness Station.

KSPS has rehabilitated its secretariat building to provide study rooms and an Agribusiness Station room, each with an area of ​​48 square meters. The study room is used as an education center for KSPS members and the village community, where they can participate in training and discussions related to natural farming practices and agribusiness management. This facility is also used for participatory research and various other community activities that support the development of knowledge and skills. Meanwhile, the Agribusiness Station room will function as a center for cooperation, especially in the management and marketing of agricultural and livestock products from community members.

In addition, direct funding is also used for capacity building with workshops and discussion series. Through the Agribusiness Station Management System Development workshop, the natural farmer community network has had a better plan to work together in marketing natural agricultural products in the future. The discussion series for capacity building of Natural Farmer Trainers, 15 farmer members learned together about natural farming, community organizing, organizational management, internal capital mobilization and institutionalization of collective economic businesses. The participants of the discussion series are new seeds of change agents to expand the natural farming movement in Bulukumba.

In the process, KSPS formed the Salassae Rural Swabina Community Agribusiness Station (STA-KSPS). STA-KSPS is a business unit that functions as a center for managing and distributing agricultural and livestock products from community members. This collective effort aims to improve the economic welfare of KSPS members and the community in four surrounding villages.

To support the operational costs of the Bulukumba Regency Natural Agricultural Education Center, the Integrated Natural Agricultural Business Unit of the Agribusiness Station was established, including a nursery house business, natural vegetable garden, marketing of natural rice products, and livestock.

“Salassa Seed Garden” was built in the KSPS complex and is equipped with various equipment needed for seed maintenance. Procurement of plant seeds is obtained from parent plants in the KSPS yard such as bay trees, Buddhist bamboo, yellow bamboo. The program also brings in plant seeds from the Permanent Nursery of the Forest Plant Seed Center (BPTH) Region II in Maros Regency. The plant seeds brought in from BPTH are ebony (black wood), red jabin wood, and eucalyptus seeds totaling 1.500 trees of each type with. A total of 4.500 seeds will be planted in an area of ​​20 hectares in Salassae Village.

This planting is expected to help restore the balance of the ecosystem, improve soil fertility, and provide sustainable natural resources for the surrounding community. Complementing this effort, KSPS has also prepared 2500 meters of land in Batu Tujua hamlet, Salassae Village for a natural vegetable production base. The natural farming system they implement reduces dependence on chemical fertilizers and helps maintain soil sustainability.

Meanwhile, for the natural rice business, the focus is on product marketing. The Agribusiness Station buys natural rice from community members who cultivate rice using a natural farming system. The processed natural rice is then packaged in 2Kg and 5Kg packages to be marketed to consumers. For the initial stage, the natural rice supplied to the Agribusiness Station comes from 2 villages, namely Bajiminasa Village, Rilau Ale District and Salassae Village, Bulukumpa District in Bulukumba Regency.

The integrated business unit of the Agribusiness Station also expanded into the field of free-range chicken and cattle farming. A total of 50 free-range chickens, both male and female, were purchased from residents around Salassae village for breeding. Meanwhile, the maintenance of 3 cows was handed over to members of the Salassae Community. The integrated business unit that combines natural farming practices with livestock farming also creates a mutually supportive ecosystem through the use of livestock manure as organic fertilizer.

This program provides benefits not only for KSPS members. At least 3570 residents of Salassae Village and 3822 residents of Bajiminasa Village will feel the benefits of STA-KSPS's ecological rehabilitation and local economic development efforts.