pengetahuanhijau.com - Gading/Profarm programme is an activity undertaken by Hivos and Yayasan Rumah Energi consortium through Millenium Challenge Account Indonesia (MCA-Indonesia) funding. This programme is part of Green Knowledge activity. Previously, this programme has been carried on in a number of regencies within MCA-Indonesia operational areas subsequently North Lombok, Central Lombok, and East Lombok Regencies. However, as the programme goes on, MCA-Indonesia also established a communication and commitment with West Lombok and West Sumbawa regencies. For West Lombok, the collaboration commitment between the Local Government and MCA-Indonesia is portrayed through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both parties coinciding with the 58th Anniversary of West Lombok Regency on April 12, 2016.

As a follow-up of such MoU, Hivos and YRE Consortium expand the operational areas in line with MCA-Indonesia operational areas. For that purpose, a Gading/Profarm Programme Socialisation workshop for West Lombok Regency has been organised on September 26, 2016 in Aruna Hotel, Senggigi. Among the attendees of the event are representatives of relevant local government agencies such as Regional Planning and Development Body, Office of Mining, Office of Animal Husbandry, Office of Marine and Fisheries Affairs, Office of Agriculture, Office of Social Affairs, Rural Community Education Institute, and Environmental Agency for West Lombok Regency. Additionally, attendees representing the Subdistrict Administratives and Village Administratives where programme implementation are carried out were also present. Reprenstative of Head of Lingsar Subdistrict, representative of Head of Narmada Subdistrict, Head of Narmada village, Head of Duman Village, Head of Dasan geria Village, Head of Batu Kumbung Village, and Head of Gegerung Village as well as representatives of Dairy Farmers and Freshwater Fisheries Groups of those five villages.

This socialisation activity was officially opened by Mr. Arief N.H. representing the Head of Regional Body of Planning and Development of West Lombok Regency. During the welcome speech, the local government stated that they greatly welcome all forms of collaboration carried out in West Lombok. This invitation includes collaboration offered by MCA-Indonesia through various programmes which will be implemented by grantees both through Green Knowledge activities as well as Green Prosperity activities. The local government expects that this programme will support the achievement of West Lombok Administrative’s work programmes. Gading/Profarm Programme, in particular, is expected to provide positive impacts on three sectors. Firstly, environmental sector. It is expected that this programme will drive more and more members of community to process cattle wastes so that air pollution due to very high methane content may be reduced. Secondly, Renewable Energy. Conversion of cattle waste into biogas is expected to reduce community’s addiction to LPG, kerosene, and firewood. More and more energy self-sustenance villages are expected to emerge. Thirdly, this programme is expected to promote poverty alleviation programmes. The utilisation of bio-slurry with its product variance is expected not only for self-consumption but also drive the community’s sense of entrepreneurships. Additionally, along with consumer’s well-awareness in selecting food products, more and more healthier agricultural products which are free from chemical substances will be introduced to the community through this programme. Consequently, the consumption of both solid and liquid bio-slurry for fertilisers and pesticides will increase.

Similarly, the village administratives have expressed their supports. Enthusiasm over this programme is stated through their willingness to include duckweed development programmes into village fund budgeting. These measures are taken due to a certain reason. A number of villages in both Lingsar and Narmada subdistricts are the center of freshwater fish development in West Lombok Regency. The high price of fish feedstuff is the primary issue sustained by freshwater aquaculturist today which consequently leads to the high sale price of freshwater fish. Ultimately, it leads to the steadily declining sales of freshwater fish in the market. Often time the sale price cannot compensate the costs of feedstuff during the production period. According to the data released by the Office of Marine Affair and Fisheries of West Lombok Regency, although Lingsar Subdistrict is the center of freshwater fish aquaculture, none of the fish feed producer, both for self-consumption or as a supplier to the freshwater fish aquaculturist in the village and surrounding area, is present in the area. Throughout these times, supply of fish feed stuff has been sourced from outside the area. Trainings which will be delivered by Hivos along with the consortium through Gading/Profarm Programme is expected to solve the issues sustained by the freshwater fish aquaculturist. This initiative hopeful will answer the high price of fish feedstuff as the raw materials are locally available.

(Source: http://pengetahuanhijau.com/berita/sosialisasi-program-gadingprofarm-di-kabupaten-lombok-barat)