By Frans Fredi Kalikit Bara.     

The productive activities of Sumba Young Farmers still continue, although they are in unlucky condition because of hot climatic condition and high level of pest attacks. To support the entrepreneurial spirit of young farmers, the Multiplication program of Stube HEMAT in Sumba held a discussion how to establish a business with the topic of ‘The Collaboration of Young Farmers with a Finance Institution’.

The activity was held in Lambanapu, a Center for Horticultural Studies Stube-HEMAT (12/09/2021). In this training, there were young people from students, church youth and some young people who had just graduated and decided to deal with agriculture.

The objective of this training is for the young farmers to build relations with finance agencies in terms of capital loans for business development in horticultural agriculture and their management. Until now, the young farmer community has built cooperative relationships with several parties, such as with the seeds division of PT East-West Seed Indonesia with the Red Arrow brand, the pest and disease division, pesticide division (DGW, Nufarm, Petro Kimia), the Agriculture Office of East Sumba regency, academics from University of Christian Wira Wacana Sumba, key farmers and distributors of agricultural goods in Sumba.

As time goes, the young farmers continue their collaboration to improve their expertise in agriculture fields. It will help them to rise to be professional farmers and to be heroes of food security for Sumba island. ***