"Now I'm no longer afraid. If a company comes to accuse us of illegally cultivating our land, I can just turn them back. They don't have legal permits. Then they keep quiet, and that's how I know I'm not doing anything wrong."
Since 1948, farmers in Langensari Village and nine other villages have been cultivating agricultural land, long before the Cultivation Rights (HGU) for the large-scale tea plantation of PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) VIII. PTPN VIII holds two HGU permits for the Goalpara Plantation, covering a total area of 2.800 hectares. Both HGUs expired in 2005 and 2013, respectively, but the company remains active. It even intimidates farmers for allegedly entering the plantation without permission.
Farmers in Langensari and nine other villages within the PTPN VIII area have long struggled to physically occupy the land by clearing plantations and planting to meet their daily needs. Dadang, head of the Langensari Local Farmers Organization (OTL), explained that they have been planting on the land, which at the time was still under the PTPN VIII HGU permit, since the early 2000s.
From steep slopes to ravines, farmers persisted, growing vegetables, citrus fruits, and avocados on land deemed "unproductive" by the company. They were continually accused of being encroachers, rent-takers, threatened, and even visited by armed security forces. Finally, in 2018, they formed the Suryakencana Sukabumi Farmers' Brotherhood (PPSS)—a farmers' organization that became a platform for their collective struggle.
"I started cultivating land for farming around the year 2000. I obtained permission from the company, but only had to pay rent calculated per stake. I had to pay rent on that land every year until 2011. The only land that could be cultivated was on very steep slopes, along cliffs or ravines."
The plantation company's land rent collection from farmers continued until 2011, two years before the HGU permit expired. This affected all farmers living near the plantation. Eventually, the farmers agreed to form a farmers' organization to fight for their land rights.
When working on their land, farmers often experience intimidation from companies. Officials even visit their cultivated land and threaten them. Before the PPSS (Sub-district Agricultural Service), farmers had a collective organization as a platform for their struggle. However, there was no education on agrarian reform and no support from other organizations. Farmers often fear the constant intimidation.
Finally, the PPSS was formed in 2018, with 235 members from 9 villages in four sub-districts, including Cisarua Village, Margaluyu Village, Sukamaju Village, Titisan Village, Sukalarang Village, Sudajaya Girang Village, Undrus Binangun Village, Langensari Village, and Gekbrong Village. The number of members has been decreasing over time, initially the PPSS had 770 members. Many challenges have led to the reduction in members. The main reason is the fear of eviction and intimidation experienced by farmers who clear agricultural land from former plantation HGU. Thanks to the strong solidarity within the PPSS that they built themselves, the farmers' courage has grown to occupy land as one of the efforts to fight for their rights.
Farmers have now successfully occupied 262,8 hectares of land, with each household cultivating an average of 0,5 hectares. The land these farmers cultivate is former tea plantations that are no longer productive and managed by plantation companies. According to Dadang, nearly 50% of the former HGU land has been abandoned and neglected by the companies since 2011, before the permits expired in 2013.
PPSS is a member of the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA) which fights for genuine agrarian reform and focuses on eliminating land monopolies and fundamental structural inequality (not just land redistribution) in Indonesia since 1994. In February 2025, PPSS also became a learning ground for participants of the Asia Land Forum (ALF) 2025 which inspired how the process of achieving agrarian justice and farmers' rights was fought for directly by farmers' unions. ALF 2025 through the host organizer, the Secretary General KPADewi Kartika called on governments in Asia, including Indonesia, “The government must implement agrarian reform, without leaving it to market mechanisms.”
Public Education in Langensari: A Milestone in the Resistance Against Agrarian Inequality
Mr. Dadang emphasized, "Now farmers are bolder and more confident. We know that as citizens and communities, we have rights that must be guaranteed."
Not only men, but also women are actively involved in this struggle. Mrs. Andriana, Chairwoman of the Langensari Women's Farmers Group, expressed pride in her role. Most of the women, in addition to being involved in various organizational activities, including education, also dedicate extra time and energy to preparing meals for participants, recognizing that this struggle is for the future of their children. Furthermore, the women farmers are also actively working the land they manage with their husbands.
The True Agrarian Reform Academy (ARAS) education was held in Langensari, Sukabumi, to strengthen cadre development in the PPSS. It was attended by all members from each of the OTLs spread across the 9 PPSS member villages. The ARAS was attended by all OTL members from the 9 PPSS member villages, facilitated by KPA (Agrarian Reform Consortium). From April to December 2024, PPSS held two training sessions.
As a result, participants have become more courageous and focused in voicing and fighting for their rights, especially when confronting the government and companies. This is because they have acquired knowledge about regulations and laws that strengthen the farmers' position. They even stated that they are no longer afraid of companies coming to threaten them.
Regular meetings are held at Saung Sawala without any weather constraints. Unlike in the past, when regular meetings had to be canceled during heavy rain, Saung Sawala now serves not only as a venue for regular member meetings, educational events, and community events, but also as a preschool education facility, allowing students to learn comfortably. Construction of Saung Sawala will continue with the construction of a second floor for simple accommodation for participants from other villages. This will further enhance Saung Sawala's role as a means of strengthening the movement.
Strengthening the Economy and Environment, as well as Strategy Reclaiming Land
In addition to education, PPSS also has a collective economic strategy to strengthen the organization's independence. Exceeding the initial plan of planting 2.000 avocado seedlings, farmers have now planted 3.000 avocado seedlings distributed to all nine PPSS member villages. This step not only strengthens the economy but also affirms physical occupation and management of the land, a tangible manifestation of land rights.
The avocado variety was chosen based on the fact that it is a woody fruit plant that is well-suited to the high altitude conditions of Langensari Village and has a stable selling value. Avocados are intercropped on the same land as agricultural crops. This is to maintain soil and water quality and prevent flooding and landslides. To maintain land quality, in addition to avocados, PPSS farmers also plant citrus for the same purpose. For optimal growth, avocados are planted with an ideal spacing of 8 meters between avocados. Avocado seedlings are distributed evenly to all PPSS members, each member receiving 70 avocado seedlings to plant on their plots of land, which average 0,5 hectares. In collective management, farmers have a profit-sharing plan. Of the 10 avocado trees, the harvest of one tree is contributed to PPSS and the harvest of the other tree is allocated to show solidarity with farmers outside of PPSS members.
Each farmer cultivates their land using an intercropping method, combining woody plants (avocados and citrus fruits) with vegetables such as cabbage, chili peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, long beans, carrots, and mustard greens. This intercropping method maintains soil and water quality, thereby increasing land productivity. Fertilizer use is also reduced because both crops are planted on the same plot of land, preventing land degradation and preventing potential flooding and landslides.
The cleared and cultivated land has been mapped and detailed. Land distribution is carried out fairly through deliberation. Each member has the right to cultivate the land according to their capacity. On average, farmers here cultivate 0,5 to 1 hectare, depending on their individual capacity. Clearing land requires capital and labor until the cleared land can be productive.
Since farmers have their own land, even if it's not extensive, they no longer work as farm laborers as before. Mr. Dadang explained that the courage to open land by PPSS members is not limited to farmers in Langensari Village and three other OTL villages, but also to other farmers outside the PPSS member villages, as new jobs are available to manage these farms.
PPSS has future plans to establish cooperatives as an alternative way to address the problems currently faced by farmers regarding capital needs and also problems marketing agricultural products.
Mr. Dadang also stated that after acquiring land to cultivate, the lives of farmers in Langensari Village and three other remote villages have become more prosperous. Educational opportunities for farmers' children in these three villages have improved, with most children able to pursue higher education. Furthermore, farmers have begun to own their own means of transportation, such as motorbikes, a practice previously rare among farmers in these four villages.
"The benefits of land ownership improve the lives of farmers. Previously, they were only farm laborers (working on other people's land), but now they can become farmers with their own land."
Langensari is not only a symbol of the farmers' struggle, but also a symbol of the transformation of consciousness. From fear to courage. From farm laborers to managers of their own land. From abandoned land to a learning ground for a new generation. The 262,8 hectares of land have been productively managed by 235 PPSS farming families. Their children can attend higher education, families own their own vehicles, and solidarity among farmers is growing stronger. The journey is still long—toward legal recognition, agrarian justice, and a truly sovereign life for farmers. However, as Mr. Dadang expressed his spirit,"We're not wrong. We're simply upholding our rights as farmers and Indonesian citizens."