GERMAPUN FARMERS PROTECT PEOPLE'S MANAGED AREAS AND BUILD A PEOPLE'S ECONOMY FOR FARMERS IN PATI, CENTRAL JAVA

A group of 100 sharecroppers in Pundenrejo Village, Central Java, who are members of the Local Farmers' Organization, the Pundenrejo Farmers' Community Movement (OTL Germapun), manage approximately 17 hectares of farmland. During the colonial period, their land was seized by the Dutch, claiming eigendom verpondingThey reoccupied the land during the independence period. However, post-independence until 2024, Germapun farmers had to contend with the military and companies claiming to have purchased Building Use Rights Certificates (SHGB) from the military. The impact of these land grabbing efforts was the destruction of farmers' crops and their frequent eviction from the land. In practice, their agricultural activities were limited to meeting daily needs or simply surviving.

Assistance in the land grabbing case involving Germapun farmers is a collaboration between the Semarang Legal Aid Institute (LBH Semarang), LBH Teratai, and the Participatory Mapping Network (JKPP). The solution to this case is to encourage Germapun farmers to apply for the legality of their agricultural land under the Land Object of Agrarian Reform (TORA) scheme. The first step taken was to conduct participatory mapping of the Germapun farmers' agricultural land. During the participatory mapping process, LBH Semarang and JKPP provided training to 10 farmers on the technical use of the Global Positioning System (GPS). Assistance was also provided when the farmers went into the field to record and determine coordinate points. The field data obtained was then visualized as a map. Both the map, historical records of the conflict, and other documents have been submitted to the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (Kementerian ATR/BPN).

In addition to land mapping, capacity building also encompassed campaigning and mass organizing skills. During the campaign, Germapun farmers, LBH Semarang, and LBH Teratai held a press conference in response to the criminalization efforts of the company claiming the SHGB rights against the Pundenrejo farmers. Meanwhile, mass organizing skills were demonstrated during the 2025 National Farmers Day Action. In this action, Germapun collaborated with other farmer organizations such as the Kendeng Mountains Care Community Network (JM-PPK) and the Pati Farmers Union (SPP) and held a demonstration in front of the Pati Regent's Office. They even established the Omah Juang Germapun as an agrarian education center in Central Java.

Finally, the funding was also used to establish a goat farming business unit. They purchased five goats as initial capital. This venture is expected to contribute to the organization's cash flow through goat breeding and sales.

In implementing these initiatives, Germa farmers also faced challenges. During their participatory mapping activities, they encountered difficulties because at that time, much of their agricultural land was still being planted with sugarcane by the company. Training in participatory mapping and critical legal training also had to take place during the farmers' busy schedules to meet family needs. Meanwhile, regarding the campaign, the public content they had uploaded to social media received little public attention. Regarding mass organization, the distance between individuals and organizations involved in the action proved to be a particular problem, especially during consolidation.

The Germapun Farmers' initiative has three impacts. First, the mapping of community-managed areas provides certainty regarding the extent and ownership status of the Germapun farmers' land. Second, the critical legal education and training provided has impacted the farmers' skills in organizing the masses for the interests of the farmers' movement or agrarian reform. Meanwhile, the goat farming business unit initiative is a collective economic effort established to contribute to the sustainability of the farmers' movement. This initiative directly impacts the 246-hectare Pundenrejo Village area with a total population of 4.255.