Access to Healthy Organic Food from the Home Yards of the Gaung Baru Farming Community in Palangkaraya

Gaung Baru Village, a hamlet located in the Rakumpit River basin, a tributary of the Kahayan River, in Rakumpit District, Palangkaraya City, Central Kalimantan, is home to approximately 450 people, the majority of whom are from the Ngaju Dayak sub-ethnic group, as well as some Batak and Banjar migrants. The community's primary livelihoods include farming, river fishing, forestry, and some independent gold mining.

Over time, the influx of palm oil plantations and the rise of illegal gold mining have transformed the village landscape. Forests have thinned, fields have narrowed, and rivers have become cloudy due to mercury pollution. Many farmers and fishermen have lost their livelihoods, while small-scale miners have been displaced by migrants and enforcement. This crisis has impacted local food availability, public health, and the continuity of children's education. This situation is exacerbated by minimal community involvement in decision-making, particularly regarding permits and land releases. Women and vulnerable groups have little opportunity to participate.

Food sources are increasingly dependent on supplies from the city of Palangkaraya. However, a closer look reveals that there are still yards, remaining garden plots, small rivers uncontaminated by gold mining, and village ponds still available for use as local food sources. This potential has become the starting point for change in Gaung Village.

Through JPIC Kalimantan's mentoring, the Gaung Baru Farmers Community initiated a series of capacity-building activities focused on local resource utilization. Fourteen women and nine men participated in leadership training and GEDSI (Gedisi) to strengthen their equal roles in decision-making.

Organic farming training demonstrates the use of yards and gardens by planting local seeds, producing liquid and solid organic fertilizers from local materials such as leaves, topsoil, and grass, and beginning land preparation with planting media directly in yards, gardens, and polybags. Furthermore, the formation and legalization of business groups is planned to facilitate the sustainability of collaborative ventures.

Excessive reliance on food supplies from Palangkaraya initially posed a stumbling block in building awareness for sustainable economic development through farming in yards and gardens. This obstacle was addressed through a training approach that combined discussion, planning, and field practice, helping to shift mindsets toward self-reliance. The SWOT method was also applied in the training. The community was first invited to realistically examine the problems, challenges, and opportunities that could be leveraged to create a self-sufficient family economy that met their needs.

Fish breeding is also facing challenges. Local fish availability is limited due to gold mining waste in rivers and the use of potassium, which destroys the ecosystem. To address this issue, the Palangkaraya City Agriculture Service is utilizing a program to provide fish seeds and rearing media. The fish harvest has not yet been completed.

Organic farming training and practices have driven a shift in mindset and growing awareness, from relying solely on markets to utilizing their own yards and gardens to produce healthy family food, such as chilies and vegetables. Residents have also begun to recognize the potential of their yards as a source of income, utilizing organic waste as fertilizer, and planning family food production more carefully. These activities have also served as a means of strengthening social networks in Gaung Baru Village. These activities have had a social impact on 101 women, 118 men, and 73 young people in Gaung Baru Village.

However, it's undeniable that raising awareness requires sustained effort and considerable time until the community is fully mobilized. Therefore, the 14 female and 9 male leaders who have been trained are expected to be the driving force, and the formation and legalization of the business group, currently under preparation, will be a crucial foundation for the initiative's sustainability. This will ensure that the results and benefits achieved can continue to grow in the future.