Corn Farming for Children's Education
Tendri A. Landu, Chair of the Mekar Jaya Women Farmers Group, Alindau Village, became a corn farmer, in 2002, right after she and her husband returned to their hometown in North Sulawesi. Tendri did not expect that corn farming would provide a significant economic change for her family.
Tendri has six children. Even though one of her children has died and another child is being taken care of by another family, Tendri still has to bear the domestic burden of the family, as well as the education burden of four other children.
“I thought about migrating to Kalimantan to look for work, then I would leave my children with my family, and later I would send my children's education fees from Kalimantan every month. But on the advice of my sister, Ibu Vera, that I don't have to migrate to Kalimantan but work with her instead. I feel sorry for the children if they have to be left behind, she said," said Tendri regarding her family's condition.
Good fortune came to Tendri. In 2010, land purchased by her brother was entrusted to be managed by her. The 1-hectare land is an opportunity for Tendri to turn it into a cornfield.
At that time, I was the first person to plant corn in Sipeso Village, then after seeing the results, several people also started planting corn. The results I got at that time were only about 5 tons, and I sold them to Adipura at a price ranging from Rp. 2,200 to Rp. 3,200 per kilogram,” she recalls.
Tendri admitted that she is quite active in growing corn up to now. The Moringa Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) project, with the support of Australian Aid (AusAID), is helping Tendri to expand the marketing of corn from his land. Together with other corn farmers, Tendri received socialization about good and correct corn cultivation and helped farmers work directly with several quality seed companies.
Through the assistance of the WVI Moringa project and encouragement from entrepreneurs who collect corn seeds, Tendri also began to use premium seeds to get good quality corn. As a result, with good quality corn, Tendri's income also increases.
“The increase in my income before, if I planted 2 hectares, I only got 5 tons and sold it for Rp. 2,400, now it has changed. If I plant on a quarter hectare of land with 5 kilograms of NK Sumo seeds, I can get 2.6 tons of yield and I sell it for IDR 4,400," she said.
Tendri is grateful, corn farming has become a blessing for him.
“Thanks to planting corn and this collaboration, now my children are in Jakarta and are currently preparing to go to Japan. The other one while studying at Tadulako University, and the other while attending a pesantren in Trenggalek,” she proudly said.
Written by: Ebenhezer S. Matana, External Consultant for the Moringa Wahana Visi Indonesia Project
