This familiar kind of scenery is a must check list to see for those who ever want to visit the Bedugul area, Lake Tamblingan, or even those who pass through on the way from Denpasar to Munduk – mist, cold and wet air, and also overlaying veggie fields and clusters of clove trees. In the midst of the cold weather, ten farmers of Desa Pedawa are fired up to learn about permaculture, while focusing on seed saving and the application of sustainable energy.
These ten farmers are selected as participants of the “Seed Saving & Sustainable Energy in North Bali” program, with their dedication to spent their time learning and enhance their knowledge about permaculture, by building a sustainable homegarden, saving seeds, and using sustainable energy – namely biogas from the fermentation of cow manure – to support family incomes.
Development of the permaculture concept is necessary for community groups to be able to increase their economic capacity. Most of the beneficiary’s livelihoods are from clove hedges and construction work earning only Rp. 400.000 as an average monthly income. To develop their potential to produce self-sufficient food supplies they are also creating independent sustainable alternative livelihoods.
Participants learned about the cycle of life that is in harmony with nature and how it is applicable to their daily life, by using local wisdom & resources, environmental observation, compost making, integrated pest management, post-harvest management and seed saving. This enthusiastic group also received support from IDEP to install for biogas systems in their households supporting their learning about creating sustainable energy by turning biogas into heat energy to cook, and using the excess to create compost (slurry).
Among these ten beneficiaries, five construction workers also received a vocational biogas reactor & construction training. Hearing the results about sustainable energy also sparked the imaginations of people in the Desa Pedawa area who want to build cow manure biogas reactors in their own properties.
This is the fourth time IDEP Foundation, in collaboration with The Boeing Company, has provided training in the concept of sustainability. So far, at least 26 local farmers have been assisted by this program that continues to produce local organic open-pollinated seeds. Thanks to Boeing’s support, the community now possess the ability to create sustainable energy.
Rampant use of chemicals for agricultural purposes exposes the local environment of Lake Tamblingan to severe risk of water pollution. IDEP’s community development assistance and the permaculture training approach aims to encourage communities to engage in alternative sustainable livelihoods to preserve and protect their own environment.
This program is also crucial in mainstreaming local seed saving practices, protecting local food plant varieties from extinction. IDEP supports local farmers to be more creative and self-sufficient. The use of eco-friendly energy can help others see how nature is the support system for our life, hence the need to actively support nature preservation.
To find out more, or order our open-pollinated local seeds, please contact: seeds@idepfoundation.org
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