Being some of the remotest villages and being far from Tarempa, which is the main hub and government district for the area) these villages lack money to pursue higher education.
Like most archipelagic districts, the majority of people in the Anambas rely on the ocean for their livelihood, with activities such as fishing, aquaculture, and sea transportation causing great stress on the ocean. However, the soil is exceptionally fertile on some of the islands, which is a unique attribute for small islands.
The Anambas Foundation saw the potential to provide an alternative livelihood for the community and launched the Organic Farming programme in 2018 in Telaga Village. In addition to providing an additional source of income for the community, this programme also aims to reduce the stress on the ocean and allow it to recover.
Organic farming is a production system that sustains the health of the soil, ecosystems, and people. The programme is adapted to the local conditions and relies on natural ecological processes, biodiversity, and cycles. No chemicals are used for fertilizers or pesticides on the farms. With this initiative, we aim to improve nutritional intake, provide alternative livelihoods, and establish a home-based industry to create innovative food products from the harvest.
Land Processing System
The Organic Farming programme in Telaga is run by the local Farmers’ Group. With support from the village government, the farm was developed in an area owned by the village. We provide technical training, agricultural equipment, and seeds.
At the beginning of the programme, we hired an expert in organic farming to teach the locals how to maintain sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices. To increase production, we also built three greenhouses to protect the farm from pest attacks.
Crop Distribution
On average, the farm is harvested every three weeks. The Foundation is committed to providing access to markets for the organic crops. One regular buyer is Bawah Reserve, which serves the fresh produce to their guests.
