By, Deviana, EBPP Manikaji school grade 9
Last weekend, September 8-9, I was very happy because together with 10 of my school friends and 3 members of the Manikaji hamlet farmers’ group were invited to visit Pak Krisna Waworuntu’s large organic farm in Pupuan village to study the agricultural system. This activity was organized by EBPP and complements our Regenerative Agriculture project activities sponsored by the Australian Volunteers Climate Action grant.
I was very curious and excited throughout the 2.5 hours trip, wanting to know what we would see there. When we arrived, we were invited to see the entire agricultural process. I was really impressed with what we saw: all types of vegetable plants growing well without the use of harmful chemicals.
Our guide, Mr Krisna, patiently explained the environmentally friendly farming process. We learned how to plant vegetable seeds, care for plants, transfer to plots with organic fertilizer, and how to control pests. We were also taught how to make organic compost from leaves and livestock manure and how to make chicken feed. We walked around to understand how to locate trees by their various functions.
The next day, we planted vegetable seeds and harvested fruit and vegetable crops. Even though it was midday and hot, we were very enthusiastic. When I came home, I kept thinking about how to manage my own land to produce various types of vegetables and fruit. I immediately shared this experience with my parents, who were also very motivated to cultivate their land to produce maximum results. •