By, Komang Kurniawan, Team leader of EBPP
On June 27-28, I took ten of our Manikaji students to Pupuan Village in Tabanan, Bali for a hands-on field study trip to supplement their current regenerative agriculture pilot farming development program in dry land near their school, sponsored by a one-year grant through the Australian-Volunteers’ Climate Action programme, aimed at comparing the practical learning outcomes from previous activities.
The trip was initiated by Pak Krisna Waworuntu, the agriculture expert and instructor who has been teaching various techniques such as making organic fertilizer, planting, and caring for vegetables to the students and farmer groups in Manikaji, to keep the students engaged and motivated in their agricultural studies by witnessing firsthand a well-developed organic farming processes, including land preparation, fertilization, and vegetable plant care.
When the students arrived at Pupuan, after a three-hour journey they were amazed and touched by the breathtaking surroundings of the cool, green, and lush environment. The trees were systematically arranged according to their needs. After a short break, Krisna led them on a tour, introducing them to the vast surroundings, where they encountered a house surrounded by fruit trees and several livestock pens housing chickens, cows, ducks, goats, and rabbits.
Krisna explained the symbiotic relationship between crops and livestock: how livestock feed on vegetable leaves and in turn, their manure is transformed into organic compost for fertilizing vegetable crops.
The following day, after a good night’s rest, they continued their activities, learning about caring for seedlings, planting, and large-scale organic compost production. The students were enthusiastic about acquiring new knowledge in agriculture and expressed their intention to apply what they had learned on their own farms, involving their families and neighbours. We extend our best wishes to them for success in all their endeavours. •
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