DMPA, Sustainable Farming Scheme as Anticipation to Forest and Land Fires

Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) Sinar Mas held webinars on forest and land fire prevention (karhutla) in Palembang, Jambi and Riau collaborated with the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and Environment, local government, media and respective stakeholders on forest and land management. The session aimed to increase all stakeholders' awareness on the importance of forest and land fire prevention by implementing farming schemes through Desa Makmur Peduli Api (DMPA) program. 

The success of the DMPA program was proven from the stories told by the farmers who experienced the benefits from the community empowerment program and received various training as alternatives to open land without burning. The farmers from these three different areas shared their stories on the DMPA program. 

Wono Tirto Sugeng Riyanto and the farmer group from Simpang Heran Village, Air Sugihan district, Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) regency, Sumatra Selatan, are assisted by PT Bumi Andalas Permai (BAP) uses organic fertilizer to restore the degraded land. Other assistance from the BAP is to provide hand tractor for open land use. Now, they are able to produce dry grains up to 4 tons per hectare equivalent to the usage amount of chemical fertilizers.

Supari, representing Mekar Jaya group from Dataran Kempas village, Tebing Tinggi distrik, Tanjung Jabung Barat regency, Jambi utilizes waste to produce compost fertilizer and is distributed to the companies’ plantation surrounding the areas. The training and assistance is supported by PT Wirakarya Sakti (WKS), as the result they are able to produce 300 tons.

Similar to Herman, the farmer from Pinang Sebatang Barat village, Riau, he received training provided by PT Arara Abadi in harvesting horticultural cultivation of spinach and kangkong. Today, Herman is able to earn income up to Rp 23 million per month selling these green vegetables.

The Desa Makmur Peduli Api (DMPA) program initiative is to divert the practice of forest encroachment through the improvement of community standard of living through sustainable agroforestry methods. This program encourages communities to participate in improving their welfare, gain added-value knowledge, accessible to collaborations and create a good forest management circle.