Her eyes focus intently on the training. It’s not just about agricultural issues, but also food security, or even techniques like raised beds. She’s 25 years old, still young and energetic. However, looking at her activities, it’s not just about age. There seems to be a future for the regeneration of farmers in Indonesia, particularly in Kapuas Hulu.
The woman’s name is Desi Tutu Warima. She’s an active and diligent model farmer from Mensiau Village in the northern region. Her farm is somewhat different from others. It features hugelkultur raised beds, which she developed from the agroforestry-food forest training materials. Like other model farmers and local extension agents, she’s also part of the post-harvest product processing group that we established in each program target village.
Desi seen from a distance near her pond. (Photo: Liana, IDEP Local Staff at Kapuas Hulu)
Hugelkultur raised beds are a no-dig technique that was part of the training. It can be applied within the food forest concept to avoid flooding or high water levels, which is particularly suitable in Kapuas Hulu, as many locals have reported that flooding or high water caused by rain and overflowing rivers is a major threat to farming.
Desi sees the potential in hugelkultur and has tried it on her farm. She gathered a lot of decaying wood, arranged it neatly as support for the planting medium, and crafted wooden planks to reinforce both sides. If heavy rains continue and the wood eventually rots, everything will turn into organic fertilizer. Meanwhile, fallen leaves and branches from surrounding trees also serve as compost materials.
Desi posing in front of her raised beds. (Photo: Liana, IDEP Local Staff at Kapuas Hulu)
Although she’s not in a flood-prone or easily submerged area, hugelkultur is still being applied, becoming a learning laboratory to be passed on as knowledge to other self-sustaining farmers. Her creative thinking turned her backyard fishpond into a real example of integration within her garden. Hugelkultur raised beds were built around the fishpond. This way, nutrient-rich water from the fishpond could easily be channeled to the beds, ensuring the soil quality remains fertile.
Desi has already started sowing and planting seeds previously distributed to her. Tomatoes and mustard greens are now decorating her garden. Both have even been harvested and consumed by her family—ensuring that her backyard garden, which follows the food forest concept, serves its purpose. Additionally, she’s planted lemongrass, ginger, bananas, papaya, rambutan, and sour simpur in her garden. With this, the three layers of plants according to the agroforestry concept she learned back in June are now complete.
Not only is she actively farming, but she has also successfully applied what she learned from the post-harvest product processing training held at the end of July. Desi has processed her harvest into mangleng (cassava chips) and aras leaves. She does this in between her other activities as a rubber and rice farmer, which she has been doing for the past six years to help her parents. In her spare time, she even weaves bags from yarn, creates ikat textiles, and sells cakes. She does all of this to support her family’s economy, including the costs for her two younger siblings, who are still in school.
Article: Bernando Halauwet & Nicolaus Sulistyo © IDEP Foundation
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