Drip Irrigation, New Hope for Farmers in Kupang

Feeling afraid of failing to try again something he had done, had crossed the mind of Sakarias Nenobesi, a farmer from Besmarak Village Kupang. This happened when the Moringa project of Wahana Visi Indonesia invited Sakarias to adopt drip irrigation technology. Through a strong urge to try something that is not new but different, turns him into achieving success.

Sakarias first engaged in the cultivation of horticultural crops in 1993, with a cultivated area of ​​only 10 acres. Utilizing the water contained in the river which can only be used until October around the land, several horticultural plants that he has started to cultivate include cucumbers, chili, mustard greens, and papaya.

Drip irrigation techniques have also been carried out through community empowerment programs with funding from village funds. But this technology is only used in one growing season because the results are below the old pattern of manual watering. In early 2021, WVI's Moringa project invited Sakarias to try to re-implement the drip irrigation technology.

At first, he was not at all willing to do this pattern because he had previous experience. After this irrigation installation is installed on the land, it turns out that there are many benefits that he feels. In terms of time and energy and water needs to be very efficient.

Now it only takes Sakarias three hours for irrigation which previously could take all day from morning to night. In the fertilization process, it can be done by one person only with the time it takes only 5 minutes for 5 beds, whereas before it takes many people with more than one day.

Sakarias also admitted that now his harvest has increased, even up to ten times, from the previous six times. Sakarias' wife, who helped him with farming, said, "If it can be like this, then we as mothers will have more time to be able to take care of the household better."

Seeing the various benefits that have been felt by the application of this drip irrigation pattern, it is hoped that more horticultural farmers in Besmarak Village will independently partner with financial institutions. This action is to access capital in applying drip irrigation technology.

Written by: Matheos R. Dima, External Consultant for Moringa Project Wahana Visi Indonesia