Knowledge Rises, Agricultural Quality Increases
Gidion Tjung Banamtuan Sulan (53), a farmer from Bena Village, NTT, felt a significant change in his agricultural output after joining assistance from the Moringa Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) project in NTT. Thanks to this assistance, Gidion now understands how to use the rice demonstration plot system and the best way to cultivate rice.
"At the beginning, I was visited by the staff of Moringa project Wahana Visi Indonesia to be willing to accept cooperation through the Bisi Intani 602 rice demonstration plot, I immediately answered yes. I am willing because it is a new and first experience for me and is used as a model for other farmers in the village of Bena,” said Gidion regarding his acquaintance with WVI.
500 are of 13 hectares of Gidion's land are used as pilot rice fields. During this mentoring process, Gidion also received training related to agriculture which was very useful for the quality of rice in his rice fields.
"Through the socialization carried out in the Ora et Labora group, I became aware of the time to provide fertilizers and medicines, the types of drugs used, good planting patterns for the types of seeds used, and the dosage of drugs and fertilizers used for the area of managed rice fields," added the man who has been a farmer for 30 years.
Before being assisted by the Moringa project, Gidion and other farmers were assisted by the local Agricultural Service PPL. However, the large number of farmers made Gidion feel that mentoring was not well monitored. Gidion even more often tried to use various fertilizers and pest medication, which ended in failure.
Now Gidion feels the changes in his rice plants. The quality of agriculture has also improved, although WVI has not yet experienced the post-assisted harvest.
"Honestly, I want to say that every morning I see the growth of this rice is very different from the type of rice that I have been planting so far, it is very comforting to my heart and eyes," he concluded.
Written by: Wemrits Nenohaifeto, Staff of Moringa Project Wahana Visi Indonesia
