Satutimor.com/WAINGAPU, SUMBA TIMUR – At the end of 2011, Heinrich Dengi (43), for the first time installed his biogas reactor. Heinrich admitted that initially he was not too convinced on the benefit of this biogas reactor as at the time he chose the package with the lowest capacity.

Based on the recommendation of Hivos, a Netherland-based INGO, Heinrich spent about Rp 2.9 millions to build a reactor with the lowest capacity which was 4 cubic meter. More than half of the expenses of building the reactor were subsidised by Hivos. Hivos’ partner, Yayasan Alam Lestari, built all biogas reactor installation and continued to provide advocacies for two years.

“I regretted myself as I learned about its remarkable benefits. I chose the one with the lowest capacity as I only had four pigs at the time. Whereas, it took a complete rebuild to upgrade the capacity,” Heinrich told Satutimor.com, Tuesday (4/1).

The benefits of this biogas reactor are remarkable to Heinrich’s family, who is a radio journalist and owner of one of the private radio station in Waingapu, East Sumba. The reactor is present in the form of a strcuture and a series of installation used by his family for cooking purposes and even when raw materials are available abundantly, it may also be utilised for lighting purposes.

In order to produce methane used for lighting and cooking purposes, Heinrich uses the manures of his pig livestock as the raw materials. Initially he raised four pigs but now total population of his pig livestock have grown to eight and according to him the number is sufficient to keep the biogas reactor running.

“Around 90 per cent of our fuel requirements for our cooking needs are supplied by this reactor. The most frequent issues arising were related to the kerosene supply. People made a fuss about kerosene each morning. But now we are very satisfied with the breakthrough,” uttered Heinrich.

It turned out that the benefits of the reactor are much more than just for fulfilling the needs of lighting and cooking. The waste product of this biogas reactor is rich with nutrients which may be further utilised as outstanding organic fertiliser.

“Initially I only thought for the household needs as I was skeptical, despite the facilitation from Hivos as well as the opportunity to witness several examples,” Heinrich admitted.

Around May 2012, through the support of Hivos, Heinrich started to produce organic fertiliser using the name of Bio Slurry as a trade mark. Heinrich’s reactor was able to produce approximately 500 liters of organic fertilisers. However, sometime it can produce as much as 1000 liters, depending on the amount of manures produced. Heinrich was able to sell the waste product at Rp 25 thousands per liter.

During an economic and trade fair on August 2011, product labelling and packaging as supported by Hivos were also exhibited.

At about the same time, Sumba received a visit of an agricultural extension agent representing Indonesian Integrated Pest Control Association (IPPHTI), Rahmat Adinata. Rahmat ‘s visit to Sumba had been supported by a US-based NGO, World Renew; P3H Salatiga, and Sumba Christian Church Synod (GKS) to help the farmers in Sumba which was in the verge of food security risk in 2010. During 2010, 121 out of 156 villages in Sumba were declared to be in food security risk, which may lead to the famine risk.

Rahmat provided advocacies to the farmers in Makamenggit and based on the collaboration with Max FM radio station managed by Heinrich, each progress of advocacy is shared by farmers in a routine programme in the radio since 2012.

Due to a high interest demonstrated by a number of group on organic farming, Heinrich and Rahmat started to expand their reach to assist groups which have shown their interests and promote organic farming in Sumba as well as biogas sludge as fertilisers.

“It may be due to the widespread information, and especially following the ecomomic and trade fair, some groups started to ask for support. Additionally, we also see their seriousness. When we identify someone who is seriously attracted to learn about our methods in nursery, land preparation for seedlings, and cultivation, we will also respond with equal seriousness to help them,” uttered Heinrich.

The first group which requested assistance was a group with 20 members consisting of housewives and school children behind Lindimara Christian Hospital, Waingapu. The group which is called Lapaluru became Heinrich and Rahmat first activities in providing organic farming advocacies in Sumba.

Heinrich and Rahmat tried to change people’s perception that organic fertilisers will lead to production decline and will attemp to foster the farmers’ group in East Sumba.

Nonetheless, there are still some rejection from the farmers. The ideas that organic farming is nonsense and even insane remain. Slowly, both of them began to prove that the general perception is not true. Without complicated marketing approach, both of them started to approach the farmers to establish collaboration and encourage the farmers to prepare a demonstration plot. A number of critical information were also shared through the radio station which Heinrich managed.

“People may not believe the benefit of the fertilisers which we produced, and perhaps they thought we will try to scam them. However, once they saw the results they were gradually convinced,” Heinrich uttered.

According to Heinrich, the amount required by this type of organic fertiliser is not as much as those of non-organic fertilisers. A maximum of two liters of organic fertilisers are enough to fertilise one hectare of land since the initial period of crop cultivation and up to the crop harvest.

The crop yield using the organic fertilisers are also way beyond their expectation.

“A 3.5 tons of rice paddy harvested in a hectare of land would normally be sufficient to send people dancing around. However, in some places which use our organic fertilisers such as Lewa and Waingapu, one hectare of land could yield as much as 10 tons of rice paddy,” uttered Heinrich.

The benefit of organic fertiliser produced by Heinrich started to gain attention from different circles. The testimony by the Chief of Local Parliament of East Sumba, to say the least, have affirmed the benefits of this organic fertiliser.

According to the Chief of Local Parliament of East Sumba, as told to Heinrich, he had been using non-organic fertiliser in a plot of land to grow rice paddy and the yield was approximately less than 10 sacks. However, since he switched to organic fertiliser produced by Heinrich in the very same plot of land, his yield has increased to 130 sacks.

“I felt that my work has been very much appreciated by such testimony presented in front of the general public in the presence of the Regent,” uttered Heinrich.

In 2013, one of the farmers’ group under Heinrich and Rahmat sponsorship received the government’s attention and the land plot that they managed became the venue of The World Food Day commemoration in the province of East Nusa Tenggara.

Today there are 10 organic farming groups with a total member of 196 which receive advocacies from Heinrich and Rahmat. In East Sumba Regency, various groups at Makamenggit (30 members), Kandara (11 membes), Lamenggit (27 members), Kalu 1 (30 members), Kalu 2 (17 members), East Wunga (17 members), Londalima (17 members), and Woka (24 members) have been established. Meanwhile, in Southwest Sumba Regency, a member in Karuni with 23 members has been established.

Two new locations namely in Kondamara, East Sumba Regency and Dikira, Southwest Sumba will be further developed in the near future.

One of Heinrich’s objectives is to transform the public’s perception which is not true with regard to the benefit of the land.

“Many people sell their lands as they think the lands are not productive enough as they can only utilise the lands for planting corns during the rainy season. We are grateful as in some of the groups we support, there are even elementary school students who have started to grow vegetables and earn their pocket money through these activities.”

Growing Vegetables During the Rainy Season Will No Longer Be an Issue

Some of the communities in several groups which they support started to see the yield of the organic farming which is as good as those produced by non-organic farming. The deep belief in Sumba (and Sabu) cultures that it is impossible to grow vegetables during rainy season, have begun to slowly eradicated.

“There is a certain benefit of growing the crop as they do not need to water the crop. However, there are still many who believe in this myth. We would like to destroy this myth, and we are happy many of them start to abandon this myth.”

During the rainy season in 2014, there are four groups sponsored to grow the vegetable. Heinrich admitted that vegetable sellers in Waingapu market have started to purchase the vegetables at the supported group’s farmlands.

“The vegetable prices are not too expensive in comparison to the prices in the marketplace and now the negotiation have started to take place in the farmland.”

You may not believe that the vegetables sold in Waingapu market have been purchased from other regencies such as West Sumba, Southwest Sumba, or even Bima and Bali. But that is the reality. And that is the reason, when you go to a market in Waingapu, you will find out that the price of all vegetables are five thousands rupiah.

The vegetables growth are not only vegetables which are traditionally growth in Sumba but also vegetables which are rarely cultivated in Waingapu such as cabbage and cauliflower.

“People’s interest toward this organic fertiliser is fairly satisfactory. I see them from the production distribution side. It’s only a matter of time,” uttered Heinrich. [S]

Contributed by Maddi Mina Djara.

See more at: http://www.biru.or.id/en/index.php/news/2014/04/02/154/inisiatif-biogas-dan-pertanian-organik-merambah-petani-sumba.html