TULUNGAGUNG, EAST JAVA – 750 Km away from the Capital Jakarta—currently besieged by air pollution issues—bright blue skies envelop a village shimmering in green. Recorded on Tuesday (22/8/2023) afternoon, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of this village displayed a value of 44 AQI US, signifying good air quality. I removed my mask, relishing the freedom to inhale deeply and exhale slowly.
A variety of fresh fruits were served, accompanied by packaged fruit juice. This setting momentarily made me forget the hectic and complex life of Jakarta. No sound of noisy vehicles, no scent of combustion carbon, no sight of hurried faces, just the serenity of nature adorned with the yellow of ripe fruit.
Discussing human empowerment seemed perfectly fitting to enhance this brief moment. The conversation started with tasting fresh starfruit, freshly picked from the orchard by Udin, a native of Bono Village, Boyolangu Subdistrict, Tulungagung Regency. Right next to his house, we exchanged stories about empowerment.
Baca juga: Berdayakan Petani Lokal, Dompet Dhuafa Hadirkan Wakaf Green House dan Lakukan Sterilisasi
Born and raised in Bono Village, the 50-year-old man has long aspired to change the village community’s mindset. His ambition arose from his concern during his and 80% of the other Bono Village residents’ time as migrant laborers abroad. This was further motivated by the numerous family issues within the community due to family separation.
In 2015, he started exploring the potential of his village and its community. He was determined to develop Bono Village’s potential as a producer of high-quality starfruit. Utilizing his agricultural knowledge gained from library books, he turned the swampy area around his house into a starfruit orchard yielding fruit all year round.
A year later, Pak Udin invited several village farmers to form an agricultural group. While most rejected the idea, a few showed interest and commitment to developing the village’s potential. He and his colleagues successfully cultivated a garden with 10 starfruit trees.
With a broader development goal in mind, in 2018, assisted by students conducting their field study in the village, Udin devised an empowerment concept to submit to Dompet Dhuafa’s Call for Proposal (CFP) Program.
“My goal is to develop local resources. Previously, the residents here were mostly migrant workers. There’s a problem there; when they return to their families in the village, they are lack of business. So, when their money runs out, they go back abroad, and this cycle repeats. I believe that’s an issue. Family problems often stem from this,” the former migrant worker in Malaysia elaborated.
In his proposal, Udin aimed to motivate villagers to use their yards to yield more profitable returns. He titled this concept as the Belimbing Village Tourism of Tulungagung. His proposal was successful in Jakarta, ranking first out of 87 programs submitted from across Indonesia.
His initial initiative was constructing a gateway to introduce Belimbing Village Tourism of Tulungagung, which also encompassed educational tourism. Subsequently, he designed training programs and agricultural and plantation management mentoring. He even provided seedlings as capital for the training participants.
To support the farmers, Pak Udin formed intensive starfruit farmer groups, consisting of 50 benefit recipients. Participants in these groups have consistently progressed, becoming self-reliant within their family units.
By 2023, marking five years of this empowerment, I was curious about its impact. Is it still noticeable, or has it been neglected? And did Pak Udin’s aspirations succeed or fail?
Continuing our conversation, Pak Udin guided me around the village to intimately experience the lushness of Bono Village. Numerous starfruit orchards adorned each village alley we traversed. Every household, much like Pak Udin’s, had at least one starfruit tree.” (Dompet Dhuafa/Muthohar)
Read the next part . . . please Belajar dari Perpustakaan, Pria Putus Sekolah Sukses Kembangkan Wisata Desa Belimbing (Bagian Dua)