Six years after receiving land rights recognition from the State in 2018, residents of Mangkit Village, Belang District, Southeast Minahasa do not want to be complacent and stand idly by for long. The residents of Mangkit Village continue their march towards sovereign, independent and prosperous farmers. They collectively continue to improve to improve their economic lives while continuing to farm according to customs on ancestral inherited land (kpa.or.id. 20 October 2022. The Steps of Farmers Disappearing After Land Redistribution. Accessed on 24 January 2022, from https://www.kpa.or.id/2022/10/20/desa-mangkit-pasca-redistribusi-tanah/).
One of the initiatives for a people's economy came from the Southeast Minahasa Farmers Union (SPMT). Starting from a consensus with SPMT members for community economic development in the form of developing a coconut and pineapple plantation business model in Mangkit Village, Kec. Belang, Kab. Southeast Minahasa Mangkit Village, District. Belang, Kab. Southeast Minahasa, Prov. North Sulawesi. It is hoped that this effort will provide economic benefits for members and encourage organizational resilience in the future.
The Nusantara Fund Direct Funding which was distributed for the coconut and pineapple plantation business model development program in Mangkit Village, was carried out in several stages that were agreed upon and carried out collectively by the Local Farmers Organization (OTL) of Mangkit Village with direct assistance from SPMT.
The first stage, the preparation of a blueprint for the coconut and pineapple business model. The second stage, the opening and processing of land on 2 hectares of land owned by KPA. The third stage, making planting holes followed by planting 400 coconut seedlings & 1000 pineapple seedlings. The fourth stage, initial care for plants with the weed spraying method. Then, training and practice of making coconut oil and pineapple jam to increase capacity in processing the harvest of female farmers who are members of SPMT.
In implementing the program there were several challenges faced, namely:
- Plant care such as spraying herbicides on coconut and pineapple planting areas is done manually so it takes quite a long time.
- Weather conditions such as rain hinder the land clearing process.
- Pest attacks such as wild boars damage coconut plants, so farmers carry out intensive guarding.
Planting seedlings and increasing capacity is only the beginning in developing a coconut and pineapple plantation business model in Mangkit Village. The joint consensus of SPMT members to build a people's economy that is manifested in collective work is the main source of energy to move together for the sustainability of coconut and pineapple plantation business development towards sovereign, independent, and prosperous farmers.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Our program will include: | Strengthening the Community Economy Through Coconut and Pineapple Plantation Business Models |
Activity: | Land Cultivation; Planting coconut and pineapple seedlings; Training in processing coconut oil and pineapple jam |
Location: | Mangkit Village, District. Belang, Kab. Southeast Minahasa, Prov. North Sulawesi (OTL Mangkit Petak VIII Village) |
Implementation: | 01 to 31 December 2022 |
Companion: | Southeast Minahasa Farmers Union (SPMT) |
Indigenous Peoples & Local Communities: | Member of the Local Farmers Organization (OTL) Mangkit Petak VIII |
keyword: | Women Farmers; Local Farmer Organizations; Plantation; Farmers Union |
Direct Funding: | IDR 50.000.000,- |
Nusantara Fund Long Term Targets: | Development of fair and sustainable production, distribution and consumption models in accordance with IPLC principles. |