Topping of Chili Plants and Pruning the Lower Leaves of Tomato Plants

The most important thing that farmers should do, is improving their knowledge continuously to farm enthusiastically and productively. Considering that agriculture is a food supply sector that’s needed by everyone, the number of farmers is expected to be increasing to concentrate on the development of agriculture and horticultural production in Sumba. For this reason, the Multiplication of Stube HEMAT invited the Matawai farmer group to study together and learn technical instructions for chili plants and tomato cultivation in Malumbi village, Kambera District, East Sumba Regency.

Most of the farmers in Malumbi are bamboo wall craftsmen. Besides farming, they have bamboo weaving skills, and to support their daily life they produce bamboo crafts for sale. Their skills are much better than their farming skills, therefore the technical knowledge of cultivating horticultural crops, especially chilies and tomatoes, needs to be improved. The Multiplication of Stube HEMAT collaborated with the Matawai farmer group to conduct training in Malumbi village (Monday, January 30, 2023). The participants consist of elder people and several young people. They are very enthusiastic to ask questions related to topping on chili plants and pruning the lower leaves on tomato plants because such practice was new for them.

The topping on chili plants aims to increase the number of new sprouts under the V branch so that the chili plants will have lots of fruit stalks and each plant will produce more chilies when compared to chili plants without topping treatment. The plants with topping tend to be short and round. In tomato plants, the pruning focused on the lower leaves and lower sprouts to maximize fruit production, the nutrients provided to the plants will focus on the flowering process and fruit growth. The level of fungal and bacterial threat on pruned tomato plants will be reduced and the light intensity will be maximized. Have a nice process, Matawai farmers. ***

By: Elisabeth Uru Ndaya, S.Pd.          

There are adolescent girls as victims of promiscuity and pregnancy out of marriage both in urban areas and villages like in the Nggaha Ori Angu district. It happens because teenagers, especially in rural areas, face a transition of values so that they are trapped in promiscuity and premarital sexual behavior. It was accelerated by advancing information technology that is easily accessed bringing both positive and negative impacts.

Adolescent girls need to know the health of their reproductive organs and how to maintain them because they are vulnerable to infection with HIV/AIDs and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Therefore, the problems of adolescent reproductive health need special attention. The Multiplication of Stube HEMAT in Sumba collaborated with Child Fund organization to socialize the issue to the youth in Tanatuku village, considering that they are easily influenced by new things both positive and negative. Ignorance of reproductive issues can lead to pre-marital pregnancies, abortions, free sex, and even drug abuse.

The socialization was held at the Kawara Panamung weaving house by Viktor Ndena from  Child Fund (Friday, 18/01/2023). Some village youth as the caring generation attended the event. They were provided with material on reproductive health and the bad effects of promiscuity. The presenter introduced the reproductive organs belong to both men and women and how to take care of them. After that, he explained what HIV/AIDS is and how it is transmitted, which can occur due to excessive use of needles, frequent changing of partners (sexual intercourse), and blood transfusions contaminated with HIV/AIDS.

On this occasion, Alfin Lestari, a village youth, explained the current youth interaction that affects future life. Yulen Tanggu Hana, a student at STT Lewa, also gave her view on how to be a healthy teenager and free from bad relation. She asked, "Are there any boys here who have girlfriends?" The youths simultaneously answered "Yes" while blushing. Yulen also reminded them to be careful in dating. Viktor once again emphasized the consequences of promiscuity which will impact oneself, such as being ostracized by the environment, experiencing shame, feeling inferior and even having a worse future.

The activity is expected to educate young people in Tanatuku village, so they can understand and maintain reproductive health and can inform their peers around them about reproductive health. ***