Synergy for Food Security in Sumba

Sunday, 26 February 2023
by Frans Fredi Kalikit Bara, S.E

Harvesting Gustavi F1 tomatoes and planting Dewata 76 F1 chilies         

What are farmers waiting for the most? The answer is the harvesting time! The Multiplication of Stube HEMAT collaborated with the 'Tunas Baru' group carried out a symbolic harvest of Gustavi F1 tomatoes and planted Dewata 76 F1 chilies at the same time. The activity is not just an annual event but also campaigned a new perspective to see the agricultural sector as a key sector for food security, and growing work motivation to cultivate the potency of land and water resources in Sumba. The most important is how to farm in new and practical ways.

 

 

This activity took place at the Horticultural Agriculture Study Center (Saturday, February 25, 2023). The opening and welcoming ceremony took place indoors, then followed by symbolic harvest at the rice fields. East Sumba Regent, Drs. Khristofel Praing, M.Sc is a key figure in the symbolic harvesting of Gustavi F1 tomatoes and intercropping system planting of Dewata 76 F1 chilies, that’s supported by elements of the Representatives of East Sumba Regency, East Sumba Police Chief, Dandim 1601, Agriculture Service of East Sumba Regency, Coordinator of Red Arrow in Sumba, financial institutions (BRI, Swastisari Cooperative), Lambanapu BP3K, the head of Kambera District, Malumbi Sub-District Head, Lambanapu Sub-District Head, community leaders, members of young farmers and several other farmers.

 

 

In his speech, the Regent of East Sumba expressed his support for the symbolic harvesting activities by the 'Tunas Baru' farmer group, "We need a community that is proactive in helping the government create food security. I am proud that there are youngsters from Lambanapu who want to farm in the newest ways.” Furthermore, Frans Fredi Kalikit Bara, the leader of the 'Tunas Baru' farmer group and Multiplicator Stube-HEMAT said, "Symbolic harvesting is not just a harvesting activity, but an education for other farmers, that millennial farmers will introduce some simple innovations that make farming activities easier, such as simple drip irrigation for watering plants, gravity fertilization, watering system fertilization, and intercropping system planting."

 

 

This activity will be carried out not only in Lambanapu, Kambera district but also in other districts in the East Sumba regency. This symbolic harvest in Lambanapu became a model (pilot project) and the audience could adopt and replicate it in their own districts. Let us move together for food security in Sumba. ***


  Share this post

A Leader Not A DreamerA Leader Not A Dreamer

Saturday, 25 February 2023
by Elisabeth Uru Ndaya, S.Pd.
          

 

Women are a potential resource if they get the opportunity to move forward and improve their quality independently, becoming the driving force of life and nation-building. However, the facts still show the high levels of violence against women, development gaps between women and men, and limited access for some women to get higher education. Culturally, women are still shackled by patriarchal culture, women in the domestic sector, and men in the public sector. Regarding the village women’s participation in leadership, it is still low, especially in Tanatuku village, Nggaha Ori Angu district. In this case, the Multiplication of Stube HEMAT in Sumba provides a place and space for village young women to voice.

 

 

Discussions and sharing of experiences about the progress of activist women become a driving model for them to move forward. Together with Ince Riani Anika Salean, a young female activist who has been active in her area, Lewa Tidahu, East Sumba, by mobilizing village women in various fields, establishing a women's organization, and a literacy house in her village. The women's group of the Multiplication of Stube HEMAT gathered for a discussion (Friday, 24/02/2023). The speaker started the discussion by bringing up RA Kartini, a figure fighting for women's rights to study at school and leading organizations so that women have democratic character and a sense of care, and proving that women are also competent to be organizational leaders.

 

Ira Padu Lemba, a student of Nursing Academy asked, "What qualifications must a woman have if she wants to become an influential female figure and a leader?" "To become a leader not only requires talent, but also skills and expertise that are trained from a young age, and this is the benefit for us to be involved in every organization," said the speaker. “Leaders must be visionary, participative, characterized, spiritually, emotionally, socially and intellectually intelligent as well as having a competitive passion. So, what should be done as a female leader? Women must be able to build positive personal branding or self-image, both as individuals, mothers, husband partners, leaders, and community servants. Women must understand self-concept, namely awareness, attitude, and understanding about who we are, what our goals, what our weaknesses, strengths, abilities, strengths are, etc. Women leaders must also be confident, have strong convictions about their actions, and be able to express their feelings and opinions without hurting their feelings or others’ feelings, without disturbing the rights of others," she said.

 

 

 

The resource person retold her experience when she mobilized young women in the village and formed women's organizations. She also emphasized why women must appear and take part in making policies because women's participation is expected to prevent unfavorable conditions for women in dealing with stereotyped issues against women such as discrimination in the field of law, social life, and also exploitation of women. She also revealed that she had handled a case of ‘forced marriage’  through the legal process and finally, the woman regained the rights to be free and live happily.

At the end, women must continue to show their existence and need to be empowered because their voice determines the direction of development in the place where they act. From now on, women must show that they can be leaders, not dreamers. ***


  Share this post

Starting A Business Amid Uncertainty

Sunday, 12 February 2023
by Apriyanto Hangga.

Multiplication of Stube HEMAT Sumba – Livestocks

   

It is not easy to re-ignite the enthusiasm of pig farmers who previously suffered losses due to the ASF Virus. Creative ideas are campaigned to bring back their enthusiasm for raising livestock. A discussion and sharing were held in Praipaha to produce fresh ideas for pig farmers (Saturday, January 26, 2023).  They are pessimistic and difficult to come up with new ideas, but through discussion, they found the idea to campaign pig farming competition and create a pork culinary center.

Pig contests are a step to encourage breeders to have healthy pigs. Meanwhile, pork-based culinary businesses are an ecosystem of livestock businesses and it is hoped that culinary innovations can be provided. The criteria for livestock that can enter the competition include clean and proper pens, healthy and fertile pigs with categories based on the type of pigs, including the category of native Sumba pigs, cross-breeding pigs, durog/lendris pigs, the number of livestock owned, and the processing of alternative feeds. The jury team can be selected from the Animal Husbandry Service, the Faculty of Animal Husbandry of Unkriswina, Unkriswina Animal Husbandry Students, the local government, and the Multiplicator of Stube HEMAT.

Besides that, the business center for pork-based culinary centers was discussed in Waingapu which included making a special pork restaurant (Saturday, February 11, 2023). The restaurant has a big opportunity by looking at the market share in Sumba, which mostly consumes meat. The discussion includes a place that must be strategic, raw materials and dishes must always be available, provide several menus of dishes, and sales models by offline and online. The readiness of equipment, place, chefs, and other raw materials is quite good, just waiting for safe conditions.

The challenge of this business is the threat of another ASF virus attack which has reappeared in several areas in the NTT province, including Southwest Sumba regency. ***

 


  Share this post

Women Deserve Healthy Lives

Saturday, 11 February 2023
by Elisabeth Uru Ndaya, S.Pd.
 
       

 

The right to life, which is determined by the quality of health, is often neglected by the state, or it is an old practice done by people from one generation to the next. For example, the maternal mortality rate in Indonesia still tends to be high, the Indonesian Ministry of Health records 183 cases per 100.000 births in 2022. Meanwhile, in East Nusa Tenggara in June 2022, recorded 63 cases of maternal death. The global world continues to fight the problem by 2030, the maternal mortality rate is pushed down and must be below 70 cases per 100.000 life births.

 

 

 

In Sumba, the neglect of health services and the neglect of people related to health responsibilities due to a low understanding of health dan it is rarely considered a crucial issue. Moreover, various cultural practices bring affects women's quality of life and lack of health knowledge, so many women prefer to ignore their health. From the problem background, it is important for village women, especially in East Sumba Regency, as the outermost, remote, and underdeveloped area, to get an understanding of routine health checks to fulfill their health rights.

 

 

 

 

 

The awareness of health rights was also instilled in the women's group of the tied weaving community in Tanatuku village, Nggaha Ori Angu. The Multiplication of Stube HEMAT in Sumba in collaboration with nurses and village cadres examined the health of the members of the weaving group in Tanatuku against endemic malaria (10/02/2023). A health cadre, Kalita Mboru, accompanied by nurse Jeni, conveyed the importance of regular health checks such as a malaria test. The participants were taught about healthy lifestyles, such as sleeping using mosquito nets to avoid being bitten by Malaria mosquitoes which carry parasites or bacteria that will infect red blood cells. In addition to mosquito bites, malaria can be transmitted to humans through blood transfusions, the use of needles, and the infected fetus by the mother.

 

 

From the explanation, then, they carried out a blood sample test. The participants listed their names one by one and waited for their turn to check. However, some participants were reluctant to do a blood test because they were afraid of needles. Asri Kaita Endi said in Sumbanese language, "Aiiii nyungga ndi'a angu, ku mangadat pakadjuku, ndaku torung a,", which meant "I don't dare to do a blood test because I'm afraid." After being given an understanding, finally all participants took a blood test.

 

The ongoing discussions was around health condition experienced by most women, both in family and surroundings. The most common health problem found is chronic gastritis, but it is still considered a common disease, followed by malaria, and the negligence of pregnant women to maintain self-sufficiency during pregnancy.

 

In maintaining health, it needs to emphasize that every woman must consider her health and safety as the most important thing in all matters, consuming a healthy diet, doing physical exercisehaving vitamins and supplements, and checking her health regularly. Healthy women will give birth to a healthy and strong generation. ***

 


  Share this post

Blog Archive

 2024 (1)
 2023 (11)
 2022 (29)
 2021 (29)
 2020 (22)
 2019 (21)
 2018 (24)
 2017 (21)
 2016 (6)
 2015 (11)
 2014 (16)
 2013 (6)
 2012 (1)
 2010 (1)
 2009 (3)

Total: 202