Looking at the Potency

of Northern Bengkulu

A workshop program with the theme of “Youth and Village Economy” has been done at the end of May 2018. Attending the workshop is the Stube board and executive director of Stube HEMAT, Dr. Murti Lestari, M. Si., and Ariani Narwastujati, S.Pd, S.S., M.Pd, and during the breaks of the program both of them takes time to have the first experience of the potency that Stube HEMAT has in Northern Bengkulu.

Potency in the field of livestock has been developed since April 2017, starting from a single female cattle which is then successfully traded with two cattle of Balinese race in November 2017. The goal of this cattle farm is to support the needs of organic manure from animal waste. These cattle are expected to produce around 25 to 40 kg of waste every month. Because the majority of land surrounding Margasakti village is used for palm oil plantation, then the demand of manure is a very high. With the organic manure now available, it is expected that the expenses for manure will be more efficient.

Palm oil plantation that is currently managed contains 102 trees of 9-year-old palm oil trees. The land itself is 7500 m2 in size and is located in the Hamlet VII region of Margasakti Village (around 800 m from the Secretariat of Stube HEMAT Bengkulu Multiplication Program). The existence of swamp area in the middle of the plantation coupled with active river streams sparked an idea to construct a fishing pond for the local occupants. It is known, that the majority of swamps surrounding Margasakti Village has been transformed to freshwater fishponds. On the further development, this plantation will eventually be used for training area or agriculture tourism complex that is expected to attract local occupants.

Northern Bengkulu never experiences drought due to the rice fields in this region receives irrigation water from Air Lais dam that could irrigate about 4000 hectares of rice fields. The water for irrigation flows through irrigation channels that spread to six villages in Padang Jaya district, Northern Bengkulu. In addition to irrigate the rice fields, water that flows from this dam is also used to provide water to freshwater fishponds of the fish farmers. Although it has been 36 years since the dam was officially opened by Adam Malik, Indonesian Vice President of 1982, Air Lais dam structure is still well maintained.

Three places went by, and the last one is a visit to Mujiono’s house, the person which all this time became a driver that faithfully escorts and accompanies during the visits, even to Manna City, Southern Bengkulu. Mujiono is a self-taught skilled man which masters many skills in the field of agriculture, craftsmanship, and fishery. Before returning to Bengkulu City, both of them takes a stop in the house of Stube HEMAT Bengkulu Multiplicator in Arga Makmur, around 17 km from the Secretariat.

After seeing the potency that exists, there is a hope that those above can be further developed for youth and the surrounding community. Indeed, it is easier to be said than done because doing something meaningful needs a great effort. (YDA).