SPM Majalengka: Embroidering the Sustainability of Young Farmers in the Agrarian Ecosystem

Majalengka Farmers Union (SPM) is a farmer community that plays an important role in fighting for the agrarian rights of the community in Majalengka Regency, West Java. Established as a forum for farmers' struggle, SPM focuses on land redistribution issues as well as building a sustainable people's economy and supporting the welfare of its members through a community-based agricultural model.

Despite facing various challenges, including land conflicts and challenges of access to agricultural production facilities, SPM continues to fight for farmers' rights to land and its management. For this reason, SPM is located in 7 Bases, namely Buyut Topeng, Bates, Kemantren, Komplek, Syahbandar, Sukajaya, Mekarmulya-Mekarjaya. SPM initiated a program oriented towards increasing the capacity and productivity of land and supporting infrastructure with the support of Direct Funding Nusantara Fund. The program run by the Majalengka Farmers Union (SPM) consists of various activities that support each other to achieve the goal of increasing economic welfare and strengthening farmers' rights.

SPM conducts regular consolidation with its members, forming discussion forums and deliberations to ensure there is an understanding among farmers regarding the location and technical implementation of each activity. In the meeting, members together determine program priorities according to community needs, including basic infrastructure development and training.

To strengthen the capacity and knowledge of farmers regarding agrarian rights and resource management, SPM organizes the Agrarian Reform Cadre Education (PKRA) program. The education program emphasizes teaching in the form of theory and practice including education related to agrarian reform, understanding of cooperative management, and technical skills in managing water infrastructure, such as reservoirs and water pumps, which are essential in sustainable agriculture. More than 150 member farmers became participants and were dominated by young farmers, gaining practical insight on how to optimize natural resources without damaging the environment.

In addition, cooperative training and pond management aim to build the capacity of SPM members in managing collective land and community-based irrigation independently. They utilize the collective land for cultivating mango and banana plants, with around 1.000 mango seedlings planted on five hectares of land. Income generated from the plants will be managed as organizational cash to support the organization's operations and strategic activities.

The improvement of the 250-meter farm road also improves accessibility and distribution of agricultural products. Access to clean water in the Buyut Topeng settlement base has now been guaranteed through the installation of a water machine, making it easier for residents to meet their daily water and sanitation needs without having to buy their own equipment. To facilitate periodic joint maintenance, the location of the water storage reservoir is placed at the center of the settlement, namely in the prayer room. From the central point, the community can independently install connecting pipes to their respective cultivated lands.

In addition, the SPM Area Mapping Team works to inventory and document the area of ​​community management spread across various locations. The maps produced from the activities are not only administrative records but also become advocacy tools to fight for the recognition and protection of cultivated land that often intersects with claims from outside parties. Through the mapping process, SPM can identify and record clear boundaries, reduce the potential for conflict between cultivators, and strengthen the basis of their legal arguments in fighting for land rights. From the area mapping activities, SPM has succeeded in identifying and inventorying 800 hectares of land managed by the community and can be a tool for defending land from claims from other parties.

Strengthening the community economy is also carried out through the optimization of collective land and the construction of important infrastructure, such as reservoirs and Farm Roads. SPM built reservoirs as a reserve source of water that can be used by farmers during the dry season. Although still under construction, the reservoir is expected to be a long-term solution to the problem of water shortages in the area, ensuring a water supply for agriculture and supporting more stable food production throughout the year. In addition to the reservoir, the "Farm Road" which was previously badly damaged has now been repaired, 250 meters long and four meters wide. Road repairs are very important because they allow farmers to transport their agricultural products more easily and quickly, especially during the rainy season when the road becomes muddy and difficult to pass.

In addition to infrastructure, SPM optimizes the community's collective land by planting economically valuable crops such as mangoes and bananas. Around 1.000 mango seedlings have been planted on five hectares of land as an effort to create additional sources of income for the farming community. Income generated from the harvest of crops will be managed as organizational cash, later used to finance the sustainability of the organization's strategic activities. In addition, plantation results will support their economic independence in the long term.

Optimization of organizational assets in the form of collective land through medium and long-term economic crop cultivation such as mango and banana shows the optimization of land use to generate sustainable income for the farming community. The plants are planted using methods that do not burden the soil or local ecosystems. Planting mango and banana on collective land serves as an economic reserve that can be utilized by the farming community in the long term. Plants also function as soil protectors from erosion and maintain the stability of soil structure and maintain soil quality on agricultural land.

In addition, land mapping is an important step in sustainable governance, as it allows SPM to know the boundaries of legal land and ensure that each area is managed appropriately. Mapping helps communities manage land more accurately, supports land use rotation to avoid soil degradation, and ensures more equitable land management among members.

The construction of collective facilities, reservoirs and water machine installations, ensures the stability of water reserves, especially during the dry season. Reservoirs function as water reservoirs that can be used at any time, maintaining water supplies for both daily household needs or for land irrigation. In addition, community-based water management also contributes to forming water conservation habits among community members, where they are taught to use water efficiently and maintain water reserves for agricultural purposes and daily needs. Thus reducing the burden on natural water sources and maintaining the sustainability of the water cycle.