Category: Farmer Story

Muchsinun: A Farmer Driven by His Passion for Gardening

On a sunny afternoon in Kebumen as we rode our motorcycle slowly. The atmosphere was lively, with villagers attending to their daily tasks as the endless rice fields stretched out before us. After one hour of riding toward Kenteng Village, Pak Muchsinun welcomed us with his warm smile. “Assalamualaikum! You didn’t get lost on your way here, did you?” Pak Muchsinun joked, his laugh warm and welcoming as he greeted us.

Pak Muchsinun, or Sinun as he’s often called, began his journey with Trees4Trees in 2022 after his farmer friends mentioned it to him. The idea of receiving free seedlings and connecting with other farmers intrigued him. It felt like the perfect opportunity to tackle the pressing environmental issues in Kenteng.

“We used to receive help, but it never truly focused on solving environmental issues.” He told us that Kenteng faces a difficult balance between landslides during the rainy season and the harsh impacts of the dry season.

“I’m committed to using what I have to help restore the conditions in this village, and the easiest way to start is by planting trees on my own land.” Therefore, he is grateful and feels fortunate that his land is fertile enough to support trees like teak and albizia.

Muchsinun's garden — Muchsinun’s garden yields are abundantly lush.

His passion for farming inspired him to create a small garden at home, where he grows strawberries, oranges, guavas, chilies, and various horticultural plants. Just like planting trees, gardening brings peace to his heart and excites him, especially when his plants bear fruit. He often shares his harvest with neighbors.

“The key to gardening is patience and care, especially since the plants I grow are for my consumption, so they need to be full of nutrients,” he explains. Essentially, Pak Muchsinun cannot think of any reason to not farm sustainably because it allows him to move forward and keep maintaining progress for multiple generations.

Single Parent to His Only Daughter

A smile rarely left Pak Muchsinun’s face as he spoke of his love for nature and the peace that gardening brings him. But beyond his garden, his biggest responsibility is raising his daughter as a single parent after losing his wife. Though farming keeps him grounded, his dedication as a father is his greatest motivation.

Leaving behind his office job in Jakarta, Pak Muchsinun made the bold decision to return to his village, Kenteng, and farm full-time while raising his child. Over the past seven years, he’s faced various challenges, such as the long, difficult periods of drought. “I once had to carry water jugs from the village for months to keep my land alive,” he recalls.

Despite these hardships, he is unwavering in his support of his daughter’s dreams, not necessarily expecting her to follow in his footsteps but wanting to provide her with opportunities beyond farming.

He admitted that not every day is a good day. Some days are bad, and some days are good. It can be challenging and tough, but he always finds moments of joy in the little things. Like seeing his crops thrive after a long struggle or just by looking at his daughter studying diligently.

Partnering with Trees4Trees has helped ease some of the burdens. Pak Muchsinun not only receives free seedlings but also fertilizers and training to help his crops flourish. He’s grateful to Trees4Trees and Soboplac for the resources that allow him to focus more on nurturing his land. “The seedlings are free, and the money I would have spent on them can now go toward maintaining the trees,” he says.

Muchsinun with trees — Muchsinun poses with a tree he planted last year with Trees4Trees.

Pak Muchsinun’s story is one of perseverance, love for the land, and dedication to a greener future. He hopes that other farmers will be inspired to advance their villages and support reforestation efforts through programs like Trees4Trees. “Planting trees teaches you patience, and that’s what keeps me going,” he adds with a thoughtful nod.

But for Pak Muchsinun, the trees represent something much larger than his own farm. Through his work with Trees4Trees, he’s helping to build a community that shares responsibility for the environment. It’s about leaving behind not just a greener Kenteng, but a legacy of hope and stewardship for future generations.

Muchsinun with the Trees4Trees team, cultivating a greener future on his land.

Writer: Teresia Miranti | Source compiled by Lailatul KH | Photograph by Y. Desennita

#Gardening farmer kebumen

Nurturing the Next Generation: Support for Young Farmers in West Java

“Most people my age don’t think about getting into farming,” says Heri, a 36-year-old from Batulayang in West Bandung Regency. “They believe there’s more money to be had in city jobs, but that’s not always that case.” Heri speaks from experience. He used to be one of the majorities who took city jobs – recent government data shows that only 17% of people aged 17 to 39 in West Java are farmers.

In recent decades, rapid development has transformed rural areas into modern landscapes, replacing farmlands with factories, shopping centers, and housing. This shift has changed job trends, with many young people choosing city-based careers over farming. Nevertheless, some young people like Heri are growing disillusioned with city life and returning to their roots.

“From my experience in horticulture, I’ve seen how farming can lead to success and become a sustainable livelihood for many, helping them provide for their families,” says Heri. The most important thing for young people is to change their mindset and recognize that farming can lead the way to entrepreneurship,” he added. With support from Trees4Trees, this new generation is rediscovering the benefits that rural life can bring.

Homecoming: Choosing Farm and Family

Many of the young farmers participating in Trees4Trees reforestation programs learned farming from their parents. Munawar Sidiq (21), a Gen Z farmer from Mandalawaji Village, began farming as a child. After briefly working on a construction project in the city, he returned to continue his parents’ legacy.

“City life wasn’t for me,” he explains. “I have family, land that would have gone to waste if I didn’t take care of it;. if all young people like me leave the village, who will farm, grow trees, produce food, and protect nature?”

Similarly, Dani (32) from Pakutandang Village, developed basic farming skills under his father’s tutelage in his teenage years, before later joining a restoration project in Sumatra. He decided to return and become a full-time farmer in 2018. “This experience gave me advanced skills in farming that I can now use to transform my family’s field,” he said.

New Solutions for a New Generation

Armed with the knowledge and experience they have gained from their travels, these young farmers are committed to helping their villages develop better, more sustainable practices. Aditya Swara (20), a farmer from Girimulya Village, chose to stay home instead of moving to the city, with a mission to tackle water scarcity in his village. Like other residents, he manages vegetable plots and grows fruit trees. “We rely on growing vegetables, but water access is limited,” he says. “During the dry season, it becomes a real challenge.” To combat this, Aditya combines vegetable farming with shade trees like teak and mahogany, which also help to improve soil quality and the availability of groundwater.

Yonan (33) from Kidangpananjung Village, also sees the value of tree planting. To prevent future water scarcity in his surrounding area, he plants trees among his crops. “Without tree cover, water disappears,” he says. “More trees mean more water.”

Youth involvement in environmental preservation is crucial, yet interest in farming among them is still lower than needed. Recognizing this, Heri initiated ‘Citra Muda’, a farmers’ group uniting young people aged 17 to 39 and encouraging them to pursue farming. With over 46 members, the group aims to secure a future for farming in their village. “I want to motivate them to create opportunities and become agricultural entrepreneurs through farming,” he said.

Flourishing in Farming with a Tree-planting Program

Since 2021, Trees4Trees, together with AstraZeneca and One Tree Planted, has led a tree-planting initiative to restore the Citarum Watershed. This program has empowered young farmers with new opportunities and knowledge. Yonan and Heri shared that the program allowed them to plant various trees at no cost and gain organic farming techniques through training.

Meanwhile, for Dani, being named one of the program’s best farmers was an honor. “I never thought I’d be recognized. I just did what was necessary, and the team acknowledged my efforts. It motivated me to keep improving my land and protecting my village environment.”

Aditya’s field was also selected as a demonstration plot due to his impressive planting efforts and the growth of his trees. “Through the demonstration plot, it’s a great opportunity for me to showcase sustainable farming and educate other farmers in the village, especially young people,” he said.

These young farmers are grateful for the tree-planting initiative and eager to continue working to build greener villages. “We hope Trees4Trees and partners keep supporting young farmers like us with free seedlings and training” said Munawar. “I believe more trees and more involvement from young people will ultimately lead to a greener environment.”

Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Editor: Chris Alexander. Photos: Nopan Noviana, Benyamin Harits, Fahry SK, Indra Dirjakusuma, Kemas Duga Muis

#YoungFarmers citarum trees4trees

Harry Raharja: Getting Back to Nature in Pengalengan

About 30 miles south of Bandung in West Java, Pengalengan District is a rolling green patchwork of dairy farms and tea plantations. Traditional villages are dotted all around, along with lakes, waterfalls, and hot springs. For the growing number of tourists who come here to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful views, the area appears serene and peaceful. But below the surface, Pengalengan has a different story to tell.

In recent years, unsustainable farming practices, combined with unchecked land conversion, have degraded the land. Combined with natural disasters like earthquakes and extreme weather events, many farmers have begun to worry about the environmental impact these developments are having on the landscape.

Working with nature, not against it

One of them is Harry Raharja, owner of Harry’s Farm in Margamukti Village. In 1990, he began planting vegetables, crops, and fruits on his family farm in the Cisangkuy sub-watershed area. At the time, some of his neighbors were selling their land to tourism developers. Those who continued to farm did so with a heavy hand – removing tree cover and using chemicals to maximize their yields. Bucking this trend, Harry continued to implement sustainable practices as his ancestors had done – working with nature, instead of only taking from it.

For Harry, this is not just an aesthetic decision. He believes having tree cover around his farm brings benefits like shade and fresh air, while also binding the soil together and protecting his land from erosion and water shortages. “It may reduce the yield I can harvest from the farm,” he says, “because the vegetables which are covered by trees will not get as much sunlight or grow as well as those in open land. But I don’t mind. I get a greater benefit by letting trees grow at my farm.”

Harry is working with nature to maintain fertility on his farm. To avoid monocropping, his land is planted with a range of vegetables such as chili, potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes. Then, on the borders, he has planted eucalyptus and rasamala trees to provide shade. He has also planted groves of orange trees, which stand apart from his vegetable gardens.

(Above) Harry Raharja, owner of Harry’s Farm in Margamukti Village, where Trees4Trees has been helping plant rasamala trees (below)

Short-term gains create long-term problems

In the time it has taken for Harry’s trees to grow, he has seen a boom in land conversion around Pengalengan, most notably the conversion of forest areas into tourist attractions such as lodges, cafes, lookout points, and other vegetable plots to feed the ever-growing influx of visitors.

Many of these plantations were created without environmental sustainability in mind. Their lack of terracing makes the land more vulnerable to landslides, which are triggered by flooding during the rainy season. To maximize their yield, farmers also clear away trees from the land, making it even more prone to erosion.

The loss of tree cover has also made Pengalengan, once famed for its cooler climes, noticeably hotter during the day, and caused water shortages due to a lack of absorption and storage capacity. This cycle of flooding and drought has taken a heavy toll on the land, while weekend traffic jams have also created a new problem: Air pollution.

Rasamala Tree — (above) Together with local workers, members of Trees4Trees help plant a new generation of trees on Harry’s Farm

Nature-based solutions for man-made problems

Harry saw the damage being done and decided to take action. In 2022, he joined a Trees4Trees planting program which helped plant 10,000 avocado, rasamala, and mahogany trees on his 30-hectare plantation. With funding support from Astra Zeneca Forest (AZ Forest) and One Tree Planted (OTP), these activities formed part of a wider project to add 50,000 new trees to Bandung Regency, focusing on three sub-watersheds of the Citarum River Basin (Citarik, Cirasea, and Cisangkuy).

To this day, each of the trees Harry planted with AZ Forest, OTP and Trees4Trees are standing strong. When other areas in Pengalengan experience flooding and landslides, or when water shortages hit during the dry season, Harry’s Farm stays green and productive. By maintaining tree coverage on his land and staying connected to nature, he is better able to sustain his yields and ensure the availability of water.

These benefits have also impacted the wider community. Harry employs a team of local farmhands on his land, who always have work to – whether harvesting fruits and vegetables or caring for the trees that shelter his fields. In addition to providing them with a reliable livelihood, the environmentally conscious practices implemented at Harry’s Farm have also helped to inform and educate the wider community. With continued support from AZ Forest, Trees4Trees and OTP, the people of Pengalengan can repair the damage done in recent times and look forward to a greener, more sustainable future.

Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Editor: Chris Alexander. Photos: Kemas Duga Muis/Trees4Trees

#Pangalengan #Rasamala bandung

Amung and Tami: Regreening the Concrete Jungle

The Greenland International Industrial Center (GIIC) in Cikarang is one of Jakarta’s biggest industrial zones. And yet, even here, pockets of nature continue to proliferate. Through the enlightened approach of the GIIC management, and with critical support from local people, these patches of green within the estate are being stitched together.

Trees4Trees, One Tree Planted (OTP) and Microsoft have teamed up with local farmers to help catalyze the regreening process. Amung and his wife, Tami, are two of many who are ensuring ‘Greenland’ remains an integral part of the GIIC. In the process, they’re bringing relief to the area, finding a connection to the past, and planting hope for the future.

Nature and nurture

For as long as he can remember, Amung has had an affinity with farming – nurturing plants to nourish his family. Together with his wife, he grows vegetable crops and fruit trees on disused industrial land in the GIIC.

“I’ve been farming here since 2014,” he explains. “It’s been about 10 years now. The land I work on provides us with vegetables, cassava, and many other crops and fruits.”

Income from his farming has allowed Amung to provide for his family, while also covering school expenses for his two children. “Although it’s not a lot, we’re grateful,” he says.

Staying connected to their roots

For Tami, working the land brings back memories. Before this area became an industrial zone, it was the site of her ancestral home. “One day, I visited and found the land where my house used to be had been abandoned. I told my husband and asked him to farm here,” she explained.

Before long, Tami and Amung brought the land back to life. “I used to farm in other locations, but this land is the best,” says Amung. “Most plants can grow easily here. It is also close to the river for irrigation.”

local Farmer — Above) With support from Microsoft, Trees4Trees and One Tree Planted, Tami and Amung have reconnected with their ancestral lands and helped keep the GIIC green.

Tree-planting support from Microsoft

In 2022, Trees4Trees, with funding from Microsoft and support from One Tree Planted, launched a tree-planting program around the GIIC. The aim was to restore degraded land and increase tree cover to create an urban forest.

“In 2022, we got 350 seedlings in total, consisting of fruit trees like mango, petai, and durian, as well as timber like mahogany, teak, and jabon,” says Amung. “We’re thankful to be able to plant them and benefit from them in the future. This program really supports us.”

The program successfully planted 21,000 trees in public spaces and on local community lands. In 2023, Microsoft added another 19,000 trees. This year, the initiative will continue, expanding tree cover throughout the industrial zone.

Amung and Tami hope all their trees will survive and bear fruit such as mangoes and petai, which they can sell. They are also looking forward to planting more new trees in future and contributing to the regreening of the local area.

GIIC Farmers — (Above) It’s been a year since the planting activities, and now the trees are nearly 2 meters tall.

Progress towards a greener future

In just over a year, Amung and Tami have already transformed around 0.5 hectares of unused land in the GIIC area into a lush, green space that is filled with teak, jabon, and mango. Amung attributes this success to nature: “I think the soil is perfect for these trees to thrive, even without special treatment,” he says.

Amung and Tami’s actions have played a vital role in keeping the GIIC green. In addition to providing shade, clean air, and water to the surrounding environment, the green spaces of the GIIC also deliver sustainable livelihood opportunities to local farmers. This also provides a blueprint for a more sustainable, more equitable future; a collaborative model that benefits local communities, business, and nature.

Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Editor: Chris Alexander. Photos: Kemas Duga Muis/Trees4Trees

cikarang Ecosystem Restoration Impacts industrial area planting trees urban forest urban forestry

Abah Dayat: Planting the Seeds of a More Sustainable Future

For Abah Dayat, farming is more than a job; it is a passion that has consumed him since he was young. Now 70 years of age, with nine children and 13 grandchildren, he still works the land, planting trees and caring for his livestock. Through a combination of crops and seasonal construction work, he continues to provide for his large family.

Now in his twilight years, Abah’s focus is shifting beyond seasonal harvests to a more sustainable long-term future; ensuring his descendants grow up in a world that is green, clean, and fertile. With support from Better Green and Trees4Trees, Abah is making this dream come true.

Creating shade, shedding light on new opportunities

Abah Dayat lives in Citaman Village, in the Nagreg District of Bandung, where he is a member of a farmers’ collective called Hutan Karya Tani Mandiri Utama. On a plot of land covering 2,800 m2, he has spent years farming cassava, corn, and tobacco. But with a lack of shade, his crops tended to suffer under the equatorial sun.

In search of solutions, Abah joined the Trees4Trees tree-planting program in 2022 and quickly began planting seedlings. The new trees have already had a transformative effect on the landscape, providing shade, fresh air, and helping the soil to retain moisture. The fruits provided by these new trees also offer a new source of income.

“I take care of my plants in a simple way, so they become fertile,” explains Abah. “First I clean away the grass and weeds, then I give them organic fertilizer that comes from the manure of my chickens and goats, then I water them regularly to help them grow.” With this careful and caring approach, Abah has been successful; only a small number of seedlings have failed to take root – the majority have flourished.

Working with nature to provide for people

This tale of fertility is a relatively new chapter, changing the narrative in a story that had long been characterized by failure. “Previously there were no trees on my land, only secondary crops,” says Abah, who believes the turning point came with his involvement in the Trees4Trees planting program. “After receiving tree planting assistance from Trees4Trees, now my land is greener because lots of fruits, timber, and other multi-purpose trees are growing.”

Citaman Village is located in the Citarik sub-watershed, on the banks of a tributary to the Citarum River. Trees4Trees has committed to rejuvenating this area, regreening the banks of the Citarum and its tributaries in order to support ecosystem health and improve quality of life for those living off the land.

Part of this approach includes supporting local livelihood opportunities with an emphasis on sustainable practices. One such initiative is centered around a public camping ground. Every weekend, around 100 tourists come here to enjoy the views, breathe the fresh air, and hike the nearby hills.

Since he began planting trees around this camping ground, Abah has noticed the interconnectedness of natural health and the well-being of local people. “The trees I planted not only provide shade,” he explains, “but also improve the fertility of the land, making nature and the environment around here more sustainable.” The new trees have also made the area more attractive to visitors, offering Abah and his community additional income opportunities through ecotourism.

The camping grounds in Citaman Village welcome around 100 ecotourists each week, providing sustainable livelihood opportunities for residents. Photo: Trees4Trees

Hopes for the future

Abah Dayat is one of several farmers sponsored by Better Green. With support from Trees4Trees as program implementer, Better Green has committed to planting 30,000 trees between 2022 and 2027. To date, 12,000 have already been planted, including those on Abah’s land.

For Abah, this partnership represents the promise of a better tomorrow. “I see these trees as an investment in the future, which I hope will be enjoyed by my children and grandchildren after I am gone,” he says, before describing replanting is a kind of social responsibility. Now, after a lifetime lived as a farmer, Abah describes himself simply as “a human being committed to preserving nature.”

Looking back on the past two years, and planning for the future, Abah has a simple message for his supporters: “I would like to thank Better Green and Trees4Trees for the seedlings they have given to me. With their help, I believe my land will become fertile again and provide benefits to nature, my family, and my community for many years to come.”

Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Photo: Kemas Duga Muis for Trees4Trees

bandung farmer story forest farmer

Sururi’s Story: Rejuvenating Mangroves in Semarang

Sururi, Penerima penghargaan Kalpataru 2024

Mangunharjo Wetan is a quiet little village on the north coast near Semarang in Central Java. Here, many local residents earn their living from fishponds. However, these industries have become increasingly vulnerable to flooding caused by coastal erosion and subsidence, rising sea levels, and a lack of coastal barriers.

These problems are directly impacting lives and livelihoods. For local fishpond farmers like Sururi, solutions are sorely needed. Back in 1995, he started planting mangroves around the village, creating a natural greenbelt that also acts as a flood barrier.

Sururi’s Story — Flooding is a regular occurrence in Mangunharjo. Photo: Naila Kamalia/Trees4Trees

Starting from Scratch: Building Nature-based Solutions

When Sururi began planting mangroves almost three decades ago, the area was a coastal sea. “In the past we had no natural barriers. The shoreline was directly exposed to the sea, causing coastal erosion because the shoreline was hit with the waves again and again,” he remembers. “But after we started planting mangroves, they held soil and sands behind the mangroves and slowed down the erosion.” Pointing to the thriving mangrove forest behind him, he explains that, as the mangroves grow bigger, they encourage the land held behind the mangroves to collect and form a natural defense against coastal erosion that triggers tidal floods.

During the past 29 years, Sururi has seen his fair share of difficulties. “The first two years were the hardest,” he explains. “Finding seedlings was very difficult, and I had no one to teach me,” he says. In 1997, this changed when Sururi met a professor who mentored him on the proper way to plant mangroves.

Recognition for Reforestation: Sururi Receives a Prestigious Kalpataru Award

Sururi’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. In May 2024, he was awarded the prestigious Kalpataru Award by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. “I’m grateful, after nearly 30 years of effort, we have achieved the Kalpataru Award. It motivates us to preserve the coastal area better,” he says.

But despite the personal accolade, Sururi maintains he could not have achieved anything by working alone; for replanting activities to really take root, it takes a village. Having worked together to make it happen, the communities are also enjoying the dividends of this collective endeavor, as the return to ecosystem health has impacted positively on the local economy.

“Now, local communities can reap the benefit,” says Sururi. “There is a green mussel nursery here, providing an additional source of income for fishermen.”

Planting mangrove in Mangunharjo coastal area — ‘It takes a village’. Local volunteers help plant new mangrove seedlings in Mangunharjo

Trees4Trees Support for Mangrove Restoration in Mangunharjo

While the mangroves in Mangunharjo have certainly helped prevent a repeat of recent disasters, the area needs more trees to sure up its defenses. To support these efforts, Trees4Trees teamed up with 90 local volunteers, including Sururi and his Mangrove Lestari Farmer Group, to plant 2,000 new mangrove seedlings and 100 Australian pine trees over an area covering 1200 square meters. The activities formed part of the Trees4Trees Planting Festival, held on June 11, 2024.

“We’ve noticed many areas are losing their natural mangrove habitats and their ecological functions,” explains Adi Gani, Project Manager at Trees4Trees. “By planting mangroves and Australian pines together, we aim to enhance the greening of this coastal area; this effort is our contribution to coastal ecosystem restoration in Mangunharjo, and we plan to continue expanding it in the future,” he added.

Mangrove planting in Mangunharjo_Trees4Trees — Some of the 90 volunteers who took part in Trees4Trees’ Planting Festival

For Sururi, the benefits of these activities are clear: “Biodiversity has flourished, including shrimp and fish. Birds are more abundant in the evenings now too. In the past, we needed the military to protect this area, but now the thriving habitat safeguards itself.”

Sururi sends his thanks to Trees4Trees, along with hopes for the future:. “We hope this initiative will continue and expand to other locations as well.”

Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Editor: Christopher Alexander. Photos: Yulianisa Dessenita

coastal ecosystem kalpataru 2024 mangrove planting mangrove

Newsletter

Category: Farmer Story

Muchsinun: A Farmer Driven by His Passion for Gardening

Single Parent to His Only Daughter

Nurturing the Next Generation: Support for Young Farmers in West Java