Trees4Trees Collaborates with BRIN to Strengthen Program Effectiveness

Trees4Trees collaborates with BRIN to strengthen reforestation program effectiveness_1

Trees4Trees collaborates with BRIN to strengthen reforestation program effectiveness_1

Trees4Trees Collaborates and the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN) are establishing a collaboration to accelerate the development of Trees4Trees programs related to research, education, and community service. The project will reinforce all Trees4Trees programs and will be rolled out in the Citarum watershed reforestation program funded by AstraZeneca Forests and One Tree Planted.  

Through the guidance and training from professional forestry experts and researchers of BRIN, it is hoped that Trees4Trees programs can create a greater impact in the local communities and environment and also contribute real world research results of BRIN’s innovation goals. 

Trees4Trees collaborates with BRIN to strengthen reforestation program effectiveness_2

Trees4Trees Collaborates is in its Early Stage 

Currently, the collaboration is in its early stages. It started by holding a training session conducted by BRIN last month. A four-day training was held at Trees4Trees Arjasari, Bandung Regency, and attended by Trees4Trees technical officers, and Field Coordinators.  

As part of the event, the BRIN team visited T4T tree-planting sites at local farmers’ fields to review and evaluate the agroforestry and conservation cropping patterns that had been applied. The team also recorded data on tree growth and pests found on the young trees. In addition to the discovery event, the team also visited impact measurement locations and seedling nurseries.  

Trees4Trees collaborates with BRIN to strengthen reforestation program effectiveness_3

Advancing Trees4Trees program development 

The project is expected to advance the success of eight aspects of the Trees4Trees’ program development; agroforestry demonstration plots, conservation demonstration plots, pest control, organic fertilizer and pesticide production, environmental impacts, social impacts, nursery and seedlings production training, and development of mangrove rehabilitation. 

“Currently, Trees4Trees is running a program for rehabilitation of critical areas working with local communities around Citarum watershed. To strengthen this program, Trees4Trees initiated research collaboration with BRIN which is the most relevant institution that can support this program development. In the early stages of the collaboration, starting with agroforestry plot research and research on social and ecological impacts, it is expected that the collaboration can provide great benefits,” Anto Wartono, Forestry Planning Manager of Trees4Trees commented.  

Author: V. Arnila Wulandani

Photos: Kemas Duga Muis

Sumeri, Find Happiness Through Farming

Sumeri, Farmer in Kalirejo Village, Kebumen

Sumeri, Farmer in Kalirejo Village, Kebumen

That afternoon, when we visited Kalirejo Village in Kebumen Regency, Sumeri (75) and his wife had just returned from their field. Although he is old, Sumeri is still farming actively. Every day, he begins his routine in his field starting from 8 AM to 3 PM. His fields are in two locations. The one is right behind his house. While the other one is in a higher location, around one kilometer away from his house. Each of them covers an area of 7.000 meters square.   

Sumeri took us walking around his field behind his house. His fields are quite fertile because their locations are near the water spring which is also the main clean water source for the villagers. According to Sumeri, this water spring never recedes even in the dry season.  

Planting Coffee Trees 

At the moment, most of his fields are planted with coffee trees. However, he also plants sengon trees, cassava, taro, corn, peanuts, and any kind of rhizomes such as curcuma, ginger, turmeric, and aromatic ginger. 

“Some of the coffee trees I planted came from tree planting program of Trees4Trees and Tree Ltd in 2019. While some others are the result of saplings from coffee seedlings I brought from Sumatra,” he revealed.  

Sumeri once migrated to Palembang and Central Lampung in Sumatra Island to work in the coffee plantations for more than 16 years. It was a long journey for him. “I worked there since 1988. Then I decided to come home because I wanted to farm in my own field. From the plantations I worked on, I know how to grow coffee trees in the right way,” said the father of six.  

Coffee trees planted in farmer's field in kalirejo village, kebumen

He remembered when he heard about the tree planting program and tree seedlings distribution last 2019, he applied for it immediately because he really wanted to get various seedlings especially coffee. At that time, he intended to increase coffee trees in his fields, which previously were planted with cassava, corn, and coconut. 

Read also: Aan and Sugiman, Young People from Kalirejo Village Who Left the City for Farming 

“In fact, the demand for cassava is always high because many people use them as the main ingredient of various traditional food and snacks. But sadly, the price is not quite competitive. The highest price for cassava is only 2.000 per kilogram. When coffee and cassava are compared, coffee can bring more income for sure. The price of ground coffee can reach 30.000 rupiahs,” Sumeri added. 

Harvesting coffee 

Since being planted three years ago, now coffee trees he received from the tree planting program reached more than 1,5 meters in height. With his skillful hand, he has successfully grown most of the coffee seedlings he received. However, he was disappointed because a few of them died attacked by pests and eaten by bats. Sumeri has harvested it once this year. Based on his calculation, around February next year he can harvest his coffee trees for the second time. He also has sold his ground coffee at the price of 25.000 per kilogram.  

His wife greatly supports him in farming  

His success in growing trees is also because of his wife’s great support. Every day, his wife helps Sumeri after she has finished her household chores. “Every day, I pull the weeds around the plants. Sometimes, I help my husband to put tree seedlings into planting holes he digs. I cannot bear not to help him because he is old now. Even though he is old, I like to see him very enthusiastic every time he works in his field and takes care of his plants,” she admitted. 

Sumeri, a farmer from kalirejo village, kebumen 

In their village, there are only a few women who are interested in farming. Sumeri’s wife realizes that farming is not an easy job for women. However, she enjoys farming with her husband and feels grateful because she learns a lot of farming knowledge.  

She hopes her husband is healthy enough to keep working in his fields. She knows that her husband wants to take care of his fields as best as he can until his children come home later to take over. 

Always Find a Joy through Farming

Sumeri, a farmer from kalirejo village kebumen

Sumeri pointed out the 15 meters in height of sengon trees in his field. He said he will pass them to his youngest son. Likewise with the coffee trees he planted. “In the future, these fields will be handled by my youngest son. But now, he is still working in Jakarta. So, I am taking care of trees during waiting my son come back home. Among my six children, he has the most knowledge of how to grow trees,” he said.

robusta coffee from kalirejo village, kebumen

Sumeri also revealed that he keeps farming in his old age because he always find a joy by working in his field. “Farming is always be my happiness from I was young until today, in my old age. But I am getting older and weaker now. I am not as strong as before. I think in a few years ahead, I have to take a rest and pass it to my son,” he added. 

After walking around his field, Sumeri’s wife invited us to stop by their house. She served us a cup of homemade coffee and curcuma pudding that were grown by Sumeri himself. It seemed their sincerity in growing them makes the taste of both was really good!  

Sundanese Language Training to Strengthen Communication Skill to Local Communities

trees4trees sundanese language training 1

trees4trees sundanese language training 1

West Java is one of Trees4trees’ work areas where most of the population speaks Sundanese as their first language. Although Bahasa Indonesia is used as a formal language, Sundanese as a local language is deeply attached in their daily life and daily conversation.  

Interaction and communication skills with local communities are one of the most important things to achieve successful program implementation in the villages. For this reason, field coordinators need to have good skills to communicate with them using the local language as one of effective approaches.  

Regarding the importance of mastering local language skills, Trees4Trees West Java work area held a training of communication and interaction with Suge ndanese Languaand Culture in Arjasari, Bandung. The activity aimed to improve the communication skills of the field coordinators using language properly and correctly while working around the local communities. It was also purposed to enhance the ability of field coordinators to deliver program materials to villagers in Sundanese language. 

Read also: One Tree Planted Visited Trees4Trees’ West Java Nursery

The activity was held for two days and attended by 96 staff members of West Java Trees4Trees. The workshop was delivered interactively by Elis Mia, a Widyaswara Sundanese Language Expertise. 

trees4trees sundanese language training 

“The Sundanese language skill is very important in the implementation of Trees4Trees program in areas where people speak Sundanese. It will be easier for our team in the field to communicate and to convey program information using the everyday language of farmers or the local community. It is a good way to approach them. In the Sundanese language test during the training, we had a participant who got a perfect score of 100, and two participants got a good score of 95. We really appreciated them. We hope more field coordinators will have a good skill in mastering culture after this training,” said Rahmat Syamsudin, Social Forestry of Trees4Trees.  

Rahmat also revealed that this training was expected to be a basic skill for field coordinators who work closely to local communities. In the future, capacity building trainings in communicating and interacting with local communities will continue to be carried out.  

Aan and Sugiman, Young People from Kalirejo Village Who Left the City for Farming

Young people from Kebumen decided to farming 2
Young people from Kebumen decided to farming
Aan and Sugiman, Young People from Kalirejo Village Who Left the City for Farming

Not many young people in Central Java, are interested to live in the village and engage themselves in farming. Based on data collected by the Trees4Trees team, farmers participating in the Trees4Trees program in Kebumen are mostly middle-aged and elderly farmers. Most of the youngsters choose to leave their rural homes and work in big cities. 

Like most youngsters in their village, Aan (26) and Sugiman (29) from Kalirejo village,  – who are close friends –  also decided to leave their village and migrate to the big cities. They thought that working in big cities was more promising to improve their living standard than in the villages.  

Unfortunately, reality was far from their expectation. Finding an ideal job in big cities was not as easy as they thought. Over the years, they jumped from one big city to another to find a better job. Life was getting tough. Finally, after years living in big cities the two decided to return to their village.  

Read also: Masimun is Not Just a Farmer. He’s a Puppet Craftsman 

“One day when we were far from home and life was tough, we remembered our village has great natural resource potential. We thought it would be better to develop what we already have in the village than to live in the city. We want to do something useful in our village,” both said.  

Young people from Kebumen decided to farming 2
Aan and Sugiman, Young People from Kalirejo Village Who Left the City for Farming

After returning to their home village, they did not know where to start for sure. Then one day, they discovered that many agricultural lands in their village were abandoned and had become barren. 

“At that time, we kept asking the question in our mind, why were the lands in our village turning barren, arid, and poorly managed? Those lands were productive and fertile before,” said Sugiman. “We also wonder, why did farmers leave their lands neglected and unproductive? These questions were spinning around in our mind for weeks,” Aan continued. 

Read also: Sarpin, Planting Trees are More Important than Money 

Later, they found the answer. The problem was because most of farmers in their village were getting older. They no longer have  the strength enough to manage their lands, so their lands became unproductive. Most of farmers also can’t expect their children to continue managing their lands because they already work and live in the city. 

Realizing these problems, Aan and Sugiman then began to learn farming and growing crops in their village. When ONE HOPE and Trees4Trees came to their village and started the tree-planting program, they joined it immediately. These two young farmers then learned about agriculture more, including how agroforestry works, how to maximize their agricultural lands, manage crop yields, and make organic fertilizer.  

young people from kebumen decided to farming
young people from kebumen decided to farming

Deciding to return to the village and being young farmers are new challenges for them. However, they thank Trees4Trees for supporting and encouraging them. Now, some of the barren lands in their village are turning green after they have planted various trees. As they look greener day by day, it makes them enormously proud and motivated.  

Currently, Aan and Sugiman are also supporting the Trees4Trees education program by working as field facilitators. They are also active in encouraging young people in the village to take part in the reforestation program. They want to spread knowledge and inspire more people, especially other young people in their village to keep farming and planting trees on their lands. 

Both said they will keep farming and not return to the city. Their village is their home and they will live there for the foreseeable future. They have a big dream, to create opportunities which can offer jobs to young people through agriculture, reforestation, and natural resources, so they do not need to leave the village to find a job. 

Aan and Sugiman also said, farmers are a principal element of agriculture practice, food security, and ecosystems restoration. It is an obligation for young people to take actions and continue what our previous generations have done before. They thank ONE HOPE and Trees4Trees in helping them to get started in the right way. 

Interview & photo: Yulianisa Dessenita

Author: V. Arnila Wulandani & Yulianisa Dessenita

Planting One Hundred Trees with Students and Villagers in Kalibeji Village

Planting one hundred trees in kalibeji village kebumen

Planting one hundred trees in kalibeji village kebumen

Trees4Trees Kebumen area collaborated with Soedirman University students in a tree planting activity last July 30, 2022. This tree planting activity was conducted in Kalibeji Village. It is located in Sempor District, Kebumen Regency. This activity did not only involve Soedirman University students who were undergoing Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN) program or Community Service Program, but also villagers of Kalibeji Village. 

One thousand trees in total were planted on an area of 5.000 m2 owned by villagers. The planting location was determined due to the area lack of trees cover. Villagers of Kalibeji hoped that by planting more trees, the environment around the area would be greener, lusher, and denser.  

Planting One Hundred Trees with Sudirman University in Kalibeji Village Kebumen

This activity itself was one of the real actions that aimed to educate communities about the importance of environmental restoration. It is also expected to contribute to improving the livelihoods of villagers in the future through the results from trees planted.

After planting, periodic monitoring will be carried out to ensure trees can survive and grow well. Meanwhile, the results from these trees later can be harvested by villagers and can be used to meet their needs.  

The types of trees planted in the activity included 500 suren trees (toona sureni), 90 teak trees, 100 durian trees, 190 kelengkeng trees (longan), 80 petai trees (bitter beans), and 40 duku trees.  

Planting One Hundred Trees with Sudirman University in Kalibeji Village Kebumen

“All trees planted came from the Trees4Trees Kebumen nursery and were given away free of charge. The trees are planted on villagers’ lands that lacked tree cover. We initiated this activity with Soedirman University students who were undergoing the KKN program (Community Service Program) because their program has the same vision and mission as what we do which aimed at reforestation and supporting villagers. That is why we agreed to collaborate with each other to conduct this tree planting activity,” said Faris Ardika, Unit Manager of Trees4Trees Kebumen area.  

It is also hoped that by conducting tree planting activity which involved various levels of society from students to villagers, it will emerge more awareness and initiative to wider communities to do tree replanting on critical lands.

Author: V. Arnila Wulandani

One Tree Planted Visited Trees4Trees’ West Java Nursery

One Tree Planted Visit to Bandung Trees4Trees_1

One Tree Planted Visit to Bandung Trees4Trees_1

Trees4Trees and One Tree Planted have committed to be partnered in environmental renewal and local community support through tree planting programs. As part of the commitment, One Tree Planted visited Trees4Trees West Java area last 18 – 19 July 2022. The visit was represented by Beth Dalgleish, One Tree Planted Asia Pacific Director and Talia Liney, One Tree Planted Asia Pacific Project Manager.

During the visit, the two representatives visited Trees4Trees nursery in Arjasari, Bandung Regency to see the tree seedlings growth and nursery activities. They also visited several tree planting locations on the farmers’ lands in Nagrak Village, Patrolsari Village, Pasirmulya Village, Campakamulya Village, and Lamajang Village in Bandung Regency, West Jawa.  

One Tree Planted Visit to Bandung Trees4Trees

In these villages, the two met Trees4Trees’ best farmers. They talked about the progress of trees planted by farmers. Some of trees are burflower, eucalyptus, coffee, avocado, gmelina, dammar, bitter bean, cinnamon, iron redwood, and more. Those trees were not only contribute in absorbing carbon and preventing erosion, but also brings economic benefits for farmers from the trees ‘ yield. 

“We came here from Australia to visit the Trees4Trees nursery, where they grow trees for 10 million trees planting project funded by Astra Zeneca. These trees are going to be planted in the Citarum watershed. So it’s great to see these baby trees growing and being well cared in this nursery,” said Beth Dalgleish. 

One Tree Planted Visit to Bandung Trees4Trees 
The 10 million trees planting project itself has been addressed for the rehabilitation of the Citarum Watershed (DAS) in West Java. It has started since 2020 and funded by Astra Zeneca which collaborates with One Tree Planted and Trees4Trees. This project targets to plant 10 million trees by the end of 2025 in four sub areas of watershed, including Ciminyak, Ciwidey, Cirasea, and Cisangkuy watershed. At the same time, it also targets agroforestry development and planting erosion control plants on an area of 8,900 hectares. 

One Tree Planted Visit to Bandung Trees4Trees

During the tree planting program, it is estimated to be able to absorb 1.8 million billion kg of carbon dioxide (CO2). It will also raise the function of watershed and the stability of water flow. Therefore, this program is expected to give contribution in reducing negative impact of forest degradation around the Citarum watershed as well as increasing the local community’s awareness to protect the forest and provide alternative income sources for local people. Around 38,000 families who live near watershed are expected to get the benefit environmentally and economically from this program.  

One Tree Planted Visit to Bandung Trees4Trees

“With the collaboration of Astra Zeneca, One Tree Planted, and Trees4Trees in the reforestation effort, we hope to convey a wider message to more people around the world to understand that every environmental changes have consequences including environmental degradation that need our collective actions to deal with it. Everyone should take a role and contribute to improve and maintain environments to be healthier. Planting trees and growing them is an example of small actions that can bring immense benefits to human life in the future,” said Tomi Bustomi, Regional Forestry Manager of Trees4Trees. 

Author: V Arnila Wulandani

Photos: Kemas Duga Muis