D

espite the scorching sun, Suprizal, 35, could barely contain his excitement as he prepared to plant vegetables and herbs for local residents in his neighborhood in Palmerah, West Jakarta.

Along with his neighbors, Suprizal planted the crops on a 160-square-meter plot of land, whose owner had asked a community unit (RT) head to utilize it.

“All the plants are organic. We use compost and do not use pesticide,” he said.

Suprizal prefers to grow the crops organically despite being fully aware that without using pesticide, rats could attack the tiny farm.

Part-time farmer by day, fire fighter by night, Suprizal is a member of the Cendana Farmer Group, a group of five residents who take care of the small farm.

Other residents are also welcome to participate in the farming activities during the weekend.

Among the vegetables planted on the land, are water spinach, chili, mustard greens and herbs.

“Outsiders also come to this place and ask for herbs,” Suprizal said.

RT 9 head Andi Suhandy said the harvest from the small farm would be distributed to local residents, especially to those who had helped cultivated the land.

With cultivation beginning eight months ago, the tiny farm has produced more than 9 kilograms of chili and yields 20 big bundles of water spinach every three weeks.

“We have been doing this since 1996, but we used to do it on different land. We had to move here because the previous land was sold by its owner,” Andi said.

All the residents need to do is cultivate and harvest the land, as fertilizer and seeds are provided by the city’s Fisheries, Agriculture and Food Security Agency, he added.

They can also ask for farming tools, such as shading nets, from the agency, by submitting a proposal, according to Andi.

The residents also practice fish farming using unused bathtubs and receive catfish and tilapia stock from the agency.

Residents of Jalan Kramat V in Senen, Central Jakarta, have also caught the craze for urban farming by forming a small farming group called the Lantana Farmer Group.

Unlike Suprizal, who was lucky to secure a small plot of land for cultivatation, the Lantara Farmer Group was forced to grow their crops on the pavement close to residents’ houses as no empty land available in the neighborhood.

“We have used a hydroponic system to grow our vegetables here since the beginning of the year,” said the farmer group’s head, Yohanna Sypasanea.

Six hydroponic tubes, placed on along the pavement, have been approved by local residents. The tubes were provided by state-owned pawn shop Pegadaian under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.

Red spinach, pak choi and mustard greens are some of the vegetables grown by Yohanna and her neighbors.

Money from selling the vegetables will be used to maintain the hydroponic plants as the materials needed are provided by Pegadaian for six months only, Yohanna added.

Meanwhile, the group also plants crops along the pavement and pedestrians are allowed to take from them freely. The hydroponic plants, however, are not allowed to be taken.

“People seem to understand as no vegetables have been taken even though they are not monitored all the time,” she said. “I hope other areas follow our example and start planting crops or growing them hydroponically in their neighborhoods.”

Fisheries, Agriculture and Food Security Agency head Darjamuni said residents would be given fertilizer and seeds for free if they wanted to cultivate plants for their communities.

“As long as it is for residents, not for business, we’ll provide it for free,” he said, adding that the agency would also train residents on how to grow the plants and how to maintain them.