Led by determined self-starter Armansah, villages in Bahorok are working together to constructively ensure sustainable environmental conservation.

Medan. Armansah, 30, a resident of Timbang Lawan Village, Bahorok, North Sumatra, is known for being busy everyday. Every morning he teaches at the Islamic Junior High School in Bahorok. Then, after lunch, he goes out into his half-hectare field where he cultivates rice, chilies, cucumbers, green beans, spinach and kangkung greens.

Since taking part in Field School activities in January 2008, Armansah has become extremely busy. At night he gathers with people from other villages to discuss potential conservation activities in and around their villages. Sometime these activities are very simple, like collecting spoiled fruit from around their homes to be used as MOL (local micro-organisms) for creating compost for fertilizer.

The Field School has changed the way Armansah lives his life. The theories and exercises he experienced have enabled him to start using environmentally friendly practices that reduce his cost of production by almost 50%. These savings are a result of Armansah’s refusal to use chemical fertilizers. He replaces them with compost to ensure the fertility of his soil. He also now knows more about protecting the natural environment and forest on which his fellow residents depend.

Arguably more important is the fact that Armansah has gained a new sense of self-confidence. He is now village facilitator and shares his knowledge and experience about conservation and ecological farming with everyone he can. Along with other farmers, Armansah has formed the group ”Mekar Bersama”, which is comprised of 9 different farmers’ groups from 5 villages.

Although established just over one month ago, Mekar Bersama has already involved several other parties in the effort to save the Bahorok ecosystem. The North Sumatra Central Management for Watershed (BPDAS) has just contributed 3,500 tree seedlings for planting. The province’s Agricultural Agency has also donated a compost chopper to encourage continuation of the ecologically friendly farming initiated by Mekar Bersama. Mekar Bersama also plans to raise rabbits from the donation of 10 rabbits from the Department of Agriculture at the University of North Sumatra.

In the future, Mekar Bersama, which has been facilitated by ESP and a consortium of local NGOs known as Alive, plans to develop Bahorok into an environmentally friendly tourist site featuring the locals’ creative sustainable conservation efforts as a main attraction.

Ridahati Rambey & Naomi Distrina Ginting, ESP North Sumatra