The procurement of jengkol, coffee, nutmeg, and chocolate seeds is to strengthen our efforts to reclaim land. At the same time, to restore the types of agricultural crops that were previously planted by the Community in Jambo Reuhat.
In Gampong Jambo Reuhat, East Aceh, the community is facing the extraordinary impact of land control by oil palm plantation companies. The land that was once the source of their life and culture is now controlled by corporations, leaving a trail of change that affects every aspect of their lives. Massive land clearing for oil palm plantations has also damaged the quality of land and water sources for livelihoods, rivers that previously had clean water are now dry and not clear. Their agricultural land has been converted to oil palm since 1990. They are forced to work as oil palm laborers and the little land they have is planted with oil palm because they have not succeeded in planting anything else, and a small number have become fishermen.
The Jambo Reuhat community also faces the impacts of climate change on aspects of their lives, from agriculture to natural resources. During the rainy season every year, floods hit the village. Water levels reaching 30-50 cm damage infrastructure, agricultural land and houses, and threaten their livelihoods. Extreme weather changes also increase the risk of forest fires and landslides. Increasingly unpredictable weather also makes the harvest of fruit crops such as rambutan, durian, and used to be inconsistent in bearing fruit. This is very detrimental to the income and food security of communities on limited land.
Realizing that it takes collective strength to face any challenge and the importance of reclaiming land rights and restoring economic independence, the Jambo Reuhat Community formed AMMK (Community Alliance for Justice) and has been fighting since 2000 after the massive land evictions. Through the process of education and organization, AMMK wants to build awareness and solidarity among the community so that they understand their rights, are economically independent, and continue to actively work together in their determination to fight for agrarian reform, and increase agricultural capacity. AMMK has four key activities with the support of Nusantara Fund Direct Funding: training on agrarian reform and strengthening organizational capacity, advocacy for legal certainty to obtain land redistribution for the people, training for planting crops to improve the quality of life, revitalizing the local economy to return to practicing traditional agriculture to reduce dependence on community oil palm. The strengthening of the organization and education is currently also directed at cadre formation including for young people to continue the struggle for agrarian reform and economic independence.
AMMK also consistently carries out various efforts to improve community resilience such as increasing knowledge about climate change, encouraging environmentally friendly agricultural methods, including the selection of plant varieties that are more resistant to extreme weather and sustainable land management techniques. Reforestation and conservation initiatives to restore damaged ecosystems are also a concern for jengkol, coffee, nutmeg, and chocolate nurseries, in addition to existing food crops to improve soil quality, and restore ecological balance to reduce the risk of natural disasters.
AMMK and the Jambo Reuhat Community are portraits of resilience, courage, and relentless determination to not give up on the damaged land conditions. The Nusantara Fund's direct funding for education and organization that is currently being carried out supports them in their struggle to gain justice and independence for sustainable change.
