Twenty-two Hulu Tengah Regency Agriculture Office delegates from South Kalimantan visited the Srikandi Women Farmer’s Group (KWT Srikandi) demonstration plot in Mrican, Sleman.
During the Thursday (Sep. 3) visit, the group observed how limited urban land is utilized to cultivate various plants, livestock, and fisheries.
KWT Srikandi Mrican is an example of urban food security managed by non-farmer community members. In collaboration with Universitas Gadjah Mada, they grow crops and process agricultural products.
Founded on Dec. 26, 2014, KWT Srikandi Mrican has won at least 50 awards, one of the most prestigious being its fifth-place ranking nationally for the Sustainable Food House Area (KRPL) program organized by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2021 for the urban farming category.
This location has thus become a learning site for optimizing agriculture and livestock farming on limited land.
Visitors have included farmer communities from Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan, KWTs in Sleman, Klaten, Sukoharjo, Banyumas, and Magetan, and students from Muhammadiyah Godean High School, kindergartens, and early childhood education centers.
Nurhandayani, the head of KWT, said the KWT Srikandi Mrican was established at the initiative of Sumardji, the head of Mrican Hamlet, and now has 54 members.
With a land area of 540 square meters, the KWT Srikandi Mrican demonstration plot grows various types of vegetables, fruits, and medicinal plants and maintains livestock and fish.
“The demonstration plot is land loaned to us by the Catur Tunggal Village for cultivation. We also have catfish farming, stingless bee honey production, ornamental plant cultivation, hydroponics, and poultry farming,” she said.
Nurhandayani explained that KWT Srikandi Mrican’s success is based on passion and hard work. KWT members, who are not from farming backgrounds, have made efforts to become farmers for family food security.
Most KWT Srikandi members do not own gardens or rice fields, and many operate boarding houses. The KWT Srikandi area is surrounded by several universities, including UGM, UNY, Sanata Dharma, Atma Jaya, and several large hotels.
“Our area is minimal, so we collaborate with UGM to gain attention. It’s not just about the agricultural plots; UGM helps with waste management outreach, fertilizer production, and livestock farming. Training sessions and free agriculture lectures are also sometimes held here, such as soil cultivation and how to plan planting seasons for the rainy and dry seasons,” she explained.
Nurhandayani expressed her gratitude that KWT Srikandi’s presence, nearing its 10th anniversary, has helped reduce the cost of living for the Mrican community. At the very least, it helps to save money on daily needs.
She explained that members can pick vegetables directly from the garden, which reduces the need for market trips and allows them to enjoy fresh produce.
“To sustain the KWT, members still pay, but the prices are well below market prices. This aligns with the Agriculture Office’s guideline, allowing KWT members to sell harvests at prices lower than the market, especially for members,” she added.
Budi Satriya Tanjung, Head of the Hulu Tengah Agriculture Office and leader of the visiting delegation, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to see and adopt best practices.
According to him, KWT Srikandi is an advanced KWT because it successfully utilizes backyard space despite its limited size.
“This is why our KWT needed to visit this place, hoping that we can adopt and implement what we see here in our regency to improve the welfare of farmers, especially women’s farming groups in Hulu Tengah Regency,” he said.
Tanjung stated that 70 percent of Hulu Tengah, Central Kalimantan, is dedicated to agriculture, particularly rice fields and rubber plantations.
Since agriculture dominates the local economy, the Hulu Tengah Agriculture Office seeks to improve farmers’ welfare through various efforts.
“That’s why we want to learn from KWT Srikandi, which has advanced without waiting. ‘Without waiting’ is a good slogan for KWT Srikandi, as they have been self-sufficient without waiting for help, so we want to emulate their sustainable backyard management and land optimization techniques. We want to learn the tricks that can be applied in Hulu Tengah,” he said.
Dr. Rr. Upiek Ngesti, a supervising lecturer from the UGM Faculty of Biology, said that KWT Srikandi’s activities in Mrican Hamlet represent UGM’s service initiative related to health, vector-borne disease awareness, mosquito trap method training, and vegetable and herbal gardening demonstration plots.
Mrican Hamlet was chosen as a service location because the local women, especially the members of KWT Srikandi, were ready to optimize their land sustainably in a suburban environment.
“The chosen crops are daily vegetables like eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, leek, celery, chayote, and chili. We grow turmeric, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, sambiloto, binahong, and more for medicinal plants. These plants are beneficial for daily needs, fulfilling the requirements of KWT Srikandi members,” she explained.
Dr. Ngesti added that the KWT Srikandi demonstration plot also serves as a learning site for students from various universities around Yogyakarta looking for internships and practical training.
Several training sessions, workshops, and skill-building programs are conducted at this location, hoping KWT Srikandi members, as the front liners, can help increase family incomes.
“At the same time, they also support government programs for the SDGs, such as food security, improving family health, and optimizing land use,” she explained.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afif