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Java Agriculture in Jeopardy

20 images Created 18 Jan 2018

Etymologically, “Java” is derived from Sanskrit “Javadvipa”, the land of seeds. It is either barley or rice; were commonly found in the island since the ancient kingdoms. In the era of ancient monarchy; Tarumanegara, Mataram and Majapahit, the reign was founded on farming, the majority of people livelihood is farmer. The emerge of a kingdom started by farmers gathered and organised and administered their activity including the distribution of harvest.
Java island is blessed with fertility because it is located on the active ring of fire. At least there are 44 volcanoes which 16 of them are still active until today. Most of the slopes on the volcanoes are occupied for farmland. Farmers in this area have a better life than farmers on the lowland because of the range of plantable plants is wider and have better commodity price. This is also supported by better agricultural techniques. Java is important island in Indonesia, it dominances in political, economical and cultural sectors. It is populated by 60% of Indonesia population or more than 140 millions people and made it the world's most populous island even though the island's size is similar as England. Surprisingly, it produces the 50% or more of national agricultural products such as rice, soy bean, corn, chilli, onions etc., the island feeds the country. Every year, at least 100.000 hectare farmland converted to residences or industrial area.
Beside the farmland shrinkage, the rapid losing number of farmers also threatening the Indonesia food security and sovereignty. More than 60% of farmers in Indonesia aged 45 years old or older and only 11.5% aged under 35 years old as surveyed by Indonesia's Central Bureau of Statistic. The statistic number shows the vulnerability of agricultural sustainability in 20-30 years ahead. Young generation prefer working in an office such as in banking, industry and hospitality.
Quoted from World Economic Forum, in Indonesia agriculture contribute 45% of jobs availability. In fact, the agriculture needs more improvement and innovation in which is expected come from young generation. With all those opportunities, Indonesia has to working on farmer regeneration.
An hour from the ancient city of Yogyakarta, located on the Menoreh hill, a primary school revolutionized its education system. They teach the students organic farming and grow vegetables and bring it on the table for lunch time. Back in 1998, the school was almost closed down due to lack of students. The parents and some locals wanted to keep the school operating so they decided to finance it collectively. Knowing that it would not last long, an idea came up to cultivating the soil behind the school and then sold the products to local market and used the money for the school operational. Later, some donors interested in the program and gave financial support to expand the school program. It is one success story in which agriculture, regardless the scale, can be relied on for living.
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  • An elderly farmer harvests red onions in Klaten, Central Java, 2017. It is a common situation to find aging farmers working on field because the regeneration of farmer in Indonesia is at a slow phase A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
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  • Farmers harvest paddy using machine in Bantul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 2017. Harvesting paddy using machine becomes an option to the lower number of workers for harvesting. The high cost for machine maintenance and low rate of machine rent to farmer become the challenge of its sustainable system. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    02-GNJ2017D0180306_169.jpg
  • Javanese men and women dresses in traditonal attire deliver offerings to goddes Sri Devi before harvesting paddy in Bantul, Yogyakarta, 2017. The ritual was done at the beginning and the end of cultivation. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    03-GNJ2017D0180306_274.jpg
  • Tengerese Hindu devotees collect water from a spring on a mountain next to Bromo crater during Melasti (cleansing) ritual in  East Java, Indonesia, 2017. Most of the tenggerese people work as farmer. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    04-GNJ2017D0180325_242.jpg
  • A view of terraces in Majalengka, West Java, Indonesia, 2017. The panorama becomes popular among domestic tourists. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    05-GNJ2017D0181229_012.jpg
  • Workers from madura doing weed control in potatoes field in Bromo, Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia. Most workers came from Madura. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    06-GNJ2017D0180326_112.jpg
  • Workers plant scallion in Cemoro Lawang, Probolinggo, East Java, 2017. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    07-GNJ2017D0180310_0181.jpg
  • Workers scatter chicken manure to newly planted scallion in Cemoro Lawang village of Bromo, Probolinggo, East Java, 2017. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    08-GNJ2017D0180310_0363.jpg
  • Farmer collects horse dung to be used as organic fertilizer in Cemoro Lawang village, Probolinggo, East Java, 2017. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    09-GNJ2017D0180326_023.jpg
  • A farmer washes his horse after renting it to tourists in Bromo sand dunes, East Java, 2017. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    10-GNJ2017D0180326_189.jpg
  • Sheeps in a cage in the middle of a farm near Bromo mountain in Cemoro Lawang Village, Probolinggo, East Java, 2017. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    11-GNJ2017D0180326_012.jpg
  • A farmer transplants the brocolli seed. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    12-GNJ2017D0180305_137.jpg
  • Tenggerese women cook for a wedding reception in Ngadas Village near Bromo mountain, Probolinggo, East Java, 2017. The two-day wedding reception was held by a success local farmer. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    13-GNJ2017D0180823_001.jpg
  • A wedding party in Tenggerese community, Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    14-GNJ2017D0180823_216.jpg
  • A porter delivers one sack of corn to weighing post in a farmer market in Boyolali, Central Java, 2018. In this market, weigh measuring becomes a job of the third party in order to make the weigh measuring accountable. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    15-GNJ2018D0180111_054.jpg
  • A market in Boyolali, Central Java where farmers directly sell their harvest, 2018. The busiest hour is 12-4 pm everyday when farmers finish harvesting in the morning. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    16-GNJ2018D0180111_140.jpg
  • Vegetables vendors buy wholesale vegetables directly from farmers in a market in Boyolali, Central Java, 2018. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    17-GNJ2018D0180111_130.jpg
  • Javanese people do a ritual before harvesting season on Bantul, Yogyakarta, 2017. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    18-GNJ2017D0180306_129.jpg
  • Students of Elementary school in Yogyakarta have a group discussion during class. 2017. The classroom was design without wall. One of the subject taught in this school, from first to sixth grade is organic farming. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    19-GNJ2017D0180405_033.jpg
  • Students of elemantary school in Yogyakarta learn farming as one of the school subject. The students later was expected can do regenaration in farming sector. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    20-GNJ2017D0180406_239.jpg
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