pengetahuanhijau.com - Lewa Subdistrict is situated approximately 60 kilometers from the district capital and is one of the leading rice producer in East Sumba District, in which majority of the inhabitants rely on their agricultural activities.
“It used to be that Lewas is the top rice producer for East Sumba however during the recent years, the has seen a fairly significant decrease in its production level. Being introduced to a knowledge on the utilistion of bio-slurry/biogas waste product into fertilisers and even fodder, has brought back our hope to once again increase the level of rice production through eco-friendly as well as safe approaches for the humankind themselves.” The hope is expressed by Mr. Markus Mbaha as the Head of Lewa Subdistrict during BIRU and GADING Programmes Socialisation by Yayasan Rumah Energi organised at Kambahapang Office Auditorium on July 11, 2016.
Lewa Subdistrict is situated approximately 60 kilometers from the district capital and is one of the leading rice producer in East Sumba District, in which majority of the inhabitants rely on their agricultural activities. According to Indonesian Statistics East Sumba Office in its publication “2015 Statistics of Lewa Subdistrict,” as chief food crop commodity, the rice production in Lewa Subdistrict indicates a decrease in comparison to the preceding year. The probable causes are diminishing harvest area, pests, as well as precipitation level. The area of rice harvest experienced a significant decrease, in which there was a 5.8% decrease for a rice paddy.
It is Mr. Markus Mbaha as the Head of Lewa Subdistrict who is also an organic farmer on June 29, 2016. He had an opportunity to participate on “Training on Fodder” which was organised by Yayasan Rumah Energi at the residence of Mrs. Martina Tara Amah, an organic farmer and bio-slurry producer. At the time, participants are trained to prepare fodder with duckweed cultured with bio-slurry media as the primary composition. Based on this experience, Mr. Markus has requested the Yayasan Rumah Energi team to organise BIRU and GADING programmes socialisation at the subdistrict level so that these information and knowledge may be distributed to all people in Lewa.
On July 1, 2016, a BIRU and GADING Programmes Socialisation activity was convened on the Auditorium of Subdistrict Office. Approximtely 26 participants representing 7 villages and 1 subdistrict in Lewa attended the event. A written joint commitment to carry out BIRU and GADING programmes and at the same identification of the residents who wish to have a biogas digester constructed in their home, in each of the village, is among the outcome of the event. Moreover, there has been a commitment among village apparatus in all villages in the form of iniative to allocate 2017 Village Funds for New and Renewable Energy in the form of biogas digester construction. Furthermore, the Yayasan Rumah Energi (YRE) team has scheduled a roadshow between July 11-18, 2016 for socialising the programme to all villages existing in Lewa Subdistrict.
After coordinating with Lewa Subdistrict Administratives on July 11, 2016 which took place at the Kambahapang Village Office, a BIRU and GADING Programmes Socialisation activity is once again convened. The event convened is at village level combined with Socialisation of Village-owned Enterprises by the Subdistrict Administratives. Approximately 70 participants attended the activity which was officially opened by the Head of Lewa Subdistrict. He reiterated his expectations that the activity will be in line with the mandate of Village Law. The mandate expects that the village funds will be allocated for economic activities which are truly effective and right on target. Village-owned enterprise is an entry point to develop people’s economy and it should be ideally be integrative with existing potential, such as taking advantages of biogas waste products for fertilisers and fodder as the new sourc of income.
The activity which takes place for almost two hours, were iniated by the explanations delivered by Mr. Anthony as the Quality Inspector and Mr. Kornelis K. Lidjang as an Organic Farming Officer reprsenting Yayasan Rumah Energi. Questions around the size of biogas, mechanism of biogas digester construction through the support of Yayasan Rumah Energi, and methods for utilising bio-slurry have been raised during the session. During the occasion, 20 participants enrolled to have biogas installation constructed in their residence.
Yayasan Rumah Energi itself has also expected through this activity, that future collaboration with the village in terms of biogas construction funding may be established. For example, funding composition currently is 70%k funding by Yayasan Rumah Energi while the remaining 30% funding is provided by the end user. In case of support through the Village Funds, then the proportion of funding may be 50% funding by Yayasan Rumah Energi, 20% funding by the village funds, and 30% funding is by the end user. Therefore, it will enable Yayasan Rumah Energi to expand the number of biogas users. Village inhabitants are expected to have the sense of belonging as well as controlling the use of biogas as well as its waste products. Much more than that, the respective village may subsequently turn into an organic village. A place where other villages may learn organic farming.
Hopefully similar spirit and expectation will also be discovered at Rakawatu, Tanarara, Kondamara, Matawai Pawali, Kambata Wundut, Bidi Hunga Villages and Lewapaku Village as the venue of the subsequent BIRU and GADING socialisation programmes.
Source: http://pengetahuanhijau.com/berita/sosialisasi-program-biru-dan-gading-di-kecamatan-lewa-%E2%80%93-sumba-timur