Rabbit Farming of Baity Al Hikmah Community Group

The climate crisis has had a real impact on community agriculture in Kampung Baru, Landasan Ulin Utara Village, South Kalimantan. Extreme climate change - extreme drought and flooding - has resulted in an uncertain planting and harvesting system and has affected farmers' income. This natural problem is compounded by the problem of land conversion in Banjarbaru City, which has changed many rice field landscapes into housing and other functions, so that agricultural land there is increasingly shrinking.

Amidst the uncertain climate and income from the agricultural sector, the Baity Al Hikmah Community Group is trying to build an alternative economy through rabbit farming. As the initial mover, there are 15 people from different heads of families (KK) who take care of the rabbit farm and then it can be distributed to other families. In addition, they are trying to integrate the rabbit farm with other communities that take care of vegetable farming. Rabbit farming is also expected to be able to increase the production of organic fertilizer so that it can replace chemical fertilizers that have so far polluted the environment and damaged the fertility of agricultural land. Conversely, if vegetable farmers have leftover vegetables that are not suitable for sale, they can be sold to the rabbit farm for feed. The profits obtained from rabbit farming are not only felt by the implementing management, but will also be donated for the development of religious educational institutions or as additional incentives for educators.

Because rabbit farming knowledge is new to the Baity Al Hikmah Community Group, the first activity carried out was capacity building through training. The trainings held included rabbit farming and rabbit farm management. The resource persons or training facilitators who were brought in came from the Borneo rabbit farming community. In addition to training, the Nusantara Fund Direct Funding was also used to procure 48 rabbit breeding stock and the construction of cage facilities and the necessary facilities such as shelves, lights, food containers, and so on.

From the implementation of the rabbit farm, the Baity Al Hikmah Community Group received benefits not only in terms of sustainable alternative economy through rabbit farming. But also related to the development of networks with organizations such as WALHI, youth organizations, social workers, and other community groups. The direct beneficiaries of this program are 69 people who participated in the training on rabbit farming and management. However, with an area of ​​intervention covering 15 hectares, this program has the potential to provide a wider impact on 800 people around Landasan Ulin Utara Village.