Aceh Tamiang Farmers Return to Pesticide-Free Farming in Harmony with Nature 

Farmers in five villages in Aceh Tamiang Regency: Tanjung Paret, Lubok Batil, Lambung Blang, Balai (Bendahara District), and Rantau Panjang (Karang Baru District) face various challenges in increasing agricultural productivity. Most still use expensive and increasingly scarce chemical fertilizers manufactured in factories. Continued use of chemical fertilizers is also feared to cause environmental damage, soil nutrient degradation, and health impacts.

On the other hand, agricultural practices that focus solely on a single commodity, such as rice, do not maximize the land's potential. Yet, traditional agricultural technologies such as the mina padi system and the integration of fish and rice cultivation can increase yields and provide additional income sources. Agricultural and livestock waste, which could be used as fertilizer, is also still wasted due to a lack of training in organic fertilizer production. This situation prompted the Agroecology Education and Training Center (Pusdiklat) of the Frame Alamraya Group to respond by strengthening learning facilities and conducting organic fertilizer production training. This initiative not only targets individual capacity building but also strengthens local institutions to enable them to manage independent and environmentally friendly agriculture.

The initial steps began with improvements to the training infrastructure. The 10x23 meter multipurpose building was renovated, with ceilings installed to create a comfortable learning space. Water piping was installed in the Pusdiklat's dry and rice fields to support agricultural practices. Fencing was repaired to prevent livestock from disrupting production processes. Administrative facilities were also strengthened with the provision of laptops and cameras. All these improvements make Pusdiklat an agrotourism and education center ready for the general public.

Organic fertilizer production training was then held in five villages. A total of 125 farmers participated in the training on solid fertilizer production (bokhasi and compost) and liquid fertilizer (auxin). The materials used were partly sourced from local waste, such as livestock manure and rice husks, while the main fermentation ingredients, such as EM-4 and molasses, were provided by YBA.

This training opened up new insights for farmers on how to process waste into productive resources. They also learned that dependence on chemical fertilizers can be reduced, even eliminated, by managing local, environmentally friendly materials. Some participants have begun applying the fertilizers they make to their vegetable and chili plants, and this knowledge replication process continues through peer-to-peer learning among farmers.

YBA doesn't stop at training; it also encourages diversification of farming through the mina padi system: integrating fish and rice cultivation in a single rice field. A 400-square-meter mina padi pond is constructed and stocked with tilapia and carp. Although fish yields are not yet optimal, this approach offers a promising economic alternative and enhances farmers' understanding of how to maximize the potential of the land they manage.

The Training Center (Pusdiklat) has grown into an agrotourism and education center for residents of at least six sub-districts and 16 villages in Aceh Tamiang. The general public, including university students, have begun visiting the facility to learn. Farmer groups that hadn't yet participated in the training have requested similar training in their villages. The "Pertanian Selaras Alam" WhatsApp group has become a sharing platform for farmers who have participated in the training and YBA administrators, accelerating knowledge transfer and strengthening networks within the assisted communities.

This initiative demonstrates that with proper training and adequate facilities, farmers are beginning to learn new ways to manage environmentally friendly agriculture independently. Using waste as organic fertilizer is a first step towards reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers and promoting more sustainable agricultural management.