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Harno smiled proudly as he showcased video footage of the lush green expanse of chilli trees bearing large fruits. He and his Sanjaya Tani farmers group cultivate chillies on half a hectare of land near an oil palm plantation in Banjar Panjang Village, Kerumutan, Pelalawan, Riau Province.
“This is a pesticide-free organic crop,” he stated. Harno is optimistic about this year’s harvest outcome. In 2019, he harvested a chilli crop valued at Rp 1.5 billion, and he hopes for another significant success that will benefit the ten members of the Sanjaya Tani group.
His confidence is well-founded. Harnoa is a service leader in the health sector. However, he has a deep passion for farming, ingrained in him by his parents, who were also farmers. He truly feels fulfilled by his agricultural endeavours.
Moreover, according to him, Indonesia’s natural potential is huge. The fertile soil and favourable weather are perfect for agribusiness.
‘I want to teach and encourage the community that farming can also make a successful life,’ said the man who serves as the head of a Community Health Centre (Puskesmas). On that basis, he hopes that farming can help improve welfare.
The market for agribusiness products is also wide. Therefore, he is not worried about his crops going to waste. Moreover, the organic planting mechanism makes the chillies he harvests much healthier.
Furthermore, he believes that Indonesia is abundant in natural resorces. The fertile soil and favorable climate create ideal conditions for agribusiness.
“I want to teach and motivate the community to understand that farming can lead to a successful life,” said the head of a Community Health Centre (Puskesmas). He hopes that farming can contribute to improving overall welfare.
The market for agribusiness products is quite broad, thus reassures him that his crops will not go to waste. Additionally, the organic planting methods he employs ensure that the chillies he harvests are in higher quality.
In early December, Harno and his farmer group organized a laboratory test for pesticide content. They submitted the necessary documents and testing requirements to the testing laboratory at the Riau Province Food, Crops, and Horticulture Office.
Harno is confident that the chilli plants cultivated by his group will pass the lab test, as they did not use any chemicals throughout the entire cultivation process. Everything is organic, and the seeds they planted were of high quality. “The seeds are from PT Sari Lembah Subur (SLS),” he explained.
The Sanjaya Tani Group is located near PT SLS, an oil palm plantation company owned by the Astra Agro Lestari Group in Pelalawan, Riau. Their geographical proximity and shared ideals and aspirations encouraged PT SLS to support Sanjaya Tani as a company-assisted farmer group.
The company runs a coaching program for the Sanjaya Tani Group as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. In addition to providing seeds, PT SLS has also supplied water tanks and sprayers. The company hopes that the Sanjaya Tani Group, established in 2020, will continue to grow and enhance the welfare of its members and the surrounding community.
According to Harno, PT SLS’s support is more than just a means of assistance; it demonstrates the importance of collaboration between companies and communities. This partnership will significantly help the community and enable further progress.
Source: Riau Terkini
