A TREE IS WORTH MORE STANDING
Everyone is looking for a way to support themselves and their families, wouldn’t it would be nice to come up with ways to monetise our natural resources that doesn’t destroy them in the process, just a thought 
It would be near impossible for a rural community in Sumatra to sustain themselves on tourism alone, so it’s good to have an agrarian integrated approach, for a more self sustaining economy. The farmland in Sumatra generally has rich organic soil and brilliant rainfall, if cultivated with the appropriate tropical agroforestry techniques, one can reap an amazing harvest!
Baik Buah aims to support agrarian projects in the forest boundaries with the aim to reduce the rate at which forests are converted to farmland. Funding for this project is sourced from the commercial ventures of Last of the Wild Places, however, if you’d like to help out, you can buy indonesian fruit trees for the local farmers to show them you care! For your donation, the farmer will receive nursery stock, we will also help plant them, and then take a photo to send to you every year so you can see the fruits of their labour! If you want to get more involved in the project, let’s chat !
BAIK BUAH
GOOD FRUIT
The Gayo people have resided in the highlands of the Leuser ecosystem for generations, living in harmony with the forest covered mountains, and protecting their land from destruction by outsiders. However, with the introduction of crops and farming practices that are not compatible with the mountainous terrain, it has meant that influences from the outside have indirectly started to destroy Gayo land. The mixed agroforestry systems of the Gayo elders are being replaced by foreign monocultures.
As this land use conversion has occurred without targeted investment, education or training in suitable agricultural practices, it has led to widespread land clearing and mismanagement of the appropriated land; once biodiverse forest with rich organic soil and huge stores of groundwater is often turned into:
Within a traditional village setting – this usually takes the form of local landholders converting small plots of land into agriculture for direct consumption and sale at markets. Popular crop choices are high yield shallow rooted cash crops. i.e. corn, lemon grass, banana, etc. They usually only grow what they need to finance their family.
In the corporate agriculture setting – the monetisation of natural resources is carried out by wide scale land clearing and conversion to monocultures, like that practiced by the palm oil, rubber and pulpwood industry. Funding from this is also from outside, foreign financial institutions using these reliable agricultural industries to invest the shares of stakeholders in… check your superannuation portfolio 😉
Gayo land is predominantly in mountainous terrain, and with deep rooted fruit tree species being replaced by shallow rooted species, it has changed the shape and function of the water table, this leads to:
- Increases in the frequency and severity of flooding events
- Increases in the frequency and severity of mass erosion events
- Increases in the turbidity of surrounding waterways
Following the erosion of the top-soil and the subsequent cycling of shallow rooted crops, the arability of the land decreases, therefore losing the nutrient rich substrate which once supported a huge diversity of life.
Gayo land is predominantly in mountainous terrain, and with deep rooted fruit tree species being replaced by shallow rooted species, it has changed the shape and function of the water table, this leads to:
- Increases in the frequency and severity of flooding events
- Increases in the frequency and severity of mass erosion events
- Increases in the turbidity of surrounding waterways
Following the erosion of the top-soil and the subsequent cycling of shallow rooted crops, the arability of the land decreases, therefore losing the nutrient rich substrate which once supported a huge diversity of life.
Looking at the agroforestry systems of the past, and modern day farming practices suitable for mountainous terrain, Gayo country can be converted for agriculture in a more sustainable way… but this must come with support.
The baik buah initiative aims to assist local landowners and farmers with the conversion of monocultures into mixed agroforestry plots; with the provision of nursery stock, support with local labour to establish the plots, and advice on how to care for them as they grow.
Each participating land holder will devote a designated percentage of their land to the donated plants, allowing them to continue their current farming methods, while they wait for their new crops to yield fruit.
Baik Buah aims to reduce the encroachment pressures on biodiversity hotspots throughout the Leuser, with a farmers first philosophy and biodiversity focus. The core project area will be the mountainous terrain of Aceh Tenggara and Gayo Lues, so crop selection will focus on maintaining a stable water table and reducing mass erosion events, lending itself to deeper rooted species.
The aim would be to then support the farmers through to the sale process, with 20% of the profits made from the sale of the produce by members of the program being invested back into their farms; with support for equipment purchase and the purchases of further stock to convert more land to the project. The aim would be to help support industries that add further value to the agricultural product, eg: rather than just selling the raw cacao, processing it to the point where it is packaged as cacao nibs suitable for export, or, rather than just selling mixed raw coffee beans, assist with the sorting, roasting and packaging process and follow with marketing support for export.
Big goals, but pelan pelan, all in good time… from little things, big things grow.