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| Emma in front of new, high capacity biogas/compost setup |
This is my friend Emma.
Emma runs a small non-government organization (NGO) called Lembaga
Tumbuh Alami, or "LTA" for short.
Emma and LTA were one of my official sponsors and partners while I was
in Indonesia
doing my dissertation fieldwork, and over the course of my year there I had the
opportunity to work closely with LTA and observe and participate in some of
their projects. Emma and LTA have been
administering projects in and around Kerinci
Seblat National
Park Kerinci
Seblat National
Park
The LTA Organic Compost/Biogas Project
One of LTA's signature projects involves decrease farmers'
dependence on chemical fertilizers.
Farmers across Sumatra and throughout Indonesia in general have a pretty
heavy reliance on expensive, synthetically-produced fertilizers. While these fertilizers usually increase
yields, they are expensive, in some cases contributing to farmers being mired
in a cycle of debt, and there are real questions about the long-term impacts of
the fertilizers on the health of the soil.
In addition, there are also concerns about the effects of fertilizers
towards the health of people. Moreover,
excess fertilizer running into streams can have very significant impacts on the
ecology of streams.
With all these things in mind LTA began a project a few
years ago aimed at replacing at least some of the chemical fertilizers with
organic fertilizer produced from livestock manure and the waste left over when
rice and other crops are harvested. The
idea was to construct small holding bins and tanks where organic waste could be
stored. Although organic waste will
break down naturally, this takes time, so the LTA project introduces an active
micro-organism to speed up the process.
After a couple of months of decay and fermentation, the organic compost
is ready to be spread on crops.
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| Organic compost ready to use. |
A sizeable quantity of methane is produced from this process
as well. Methane is quite combustible
and can be used as a fuel, so the LTA compost project utilizes a system to
collect the methane. Pipes then deliver
the methane to a burner or other household appliance, and so in addition to
receiving free, healthy organic compost, the participating farmers get enough
fuel to operate 1-1 gas burners, which is sufficient to boil water or cook
rice, the two primary uses cooking fuel in the villages here. In many villages the primary cooking fuel is
wood, and so the gas has a number of really significant benefits: 1) villagers
don't have to spend time looking for firewood; 2) they can save money if they
formerly bought firewood; 3) pressure on the forest is decreased because there
isn't as much wood being taken for cooking fires; 4) biogas burns cleaner, and
since most cooking is done inside the house there are health benefits from
decreasing reliance on wood for cooking.
The compost/biogas project has had significant impacts on
the areas where it's been introduced.
Here are a couple of testimonials:
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| Stove fueled by biogas |
Since the "biogas" has been installed in my house
I've felt extremely blessed and I've greatly decreased my expenditures,
especially for fuel oil and wood. After
the biogas station went into operation, the gas has been used to cook food,
sambal, and rice. I use the fertilizer
that results from the "biogas to fertilize the crops in my field and the
result has been quite good. I've been
able to cut down on my use of fertilizer by 40% compared with before I had the
biogas station.... Agusrianto, Sako
Dua Village
In April of 2010 a biogas station was built at my house and
just one month after that I had gas. The
gas that comes from the biogas station is used to heat water and cook our food
and sambal. Since then I don't have to
look for wood in my land to cook and the fertilizer that comes from the biogas
station I use on my rice paddy. Usually
I use 3 karungs (unit of measurement equivalent to 50 kilograms) of chemical
fertilizer at 150,000 rupiah (about US$17) per karung every time I work the
paddy. Thus the total cost of fertilizer
is 450,000 rupiah (about US$51). The
first year I used the biogas fertilizer I decreased my chemical fertilizer use
by 1 karung, in the second year I decreased it by two, and my plan in the third
year is to abandon chemical fertilizer all together for my
paddy.....Bustanudin, Kemantan Hilir Village
After the biogas station went into operation I used the gas
to cook and the fertilizer to fertilize my crops. The fertilizer that results from the biogas,
according to my experience, is really good for the crops in my land, like
onions, chili peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, and corn. Since I've been using the fertilizer I can
save up to 75% of what I used to spend on fertilizer. Since I've been using the biogas fertilizer
my friends in my farmers' group really want to use it as well but I can't yet
meet their needs because I don't produce enough fertilizer. From the money I've saved I'm able to put
away something for my retirement and to buy things we need to improve our
living conditions, like a refrigerator, fresh water dispenser, household goods,
and other things....Suyitno, Kebun Baru
Though all of these comments are from men, the biogas that
results from the process also benefits women, who are normally in charge of the
household, including cooking and cleaning.
Interviews with women indicate that on average users of biogas have been
able to decrease their expenditures on wood by 50%. The biogas program is slowly expanding, but like many local NGOs LTA faces limitations in terms of funding and personnel. Emma told me that she's actually turned down funding that would enable her to scale up the project (I actually witnessed Emma refusing money from a large international donor for another project) because these types of agreements often come with deadlines and timetables. Emma told me that projects like the biogas/compost initiative require a great deal from villagers; they have to change their mindsets and the way they do things, and that is frequently very difficult for them. They usually aren't enthusiastic about abandoning tried-and-true methods for new tools and techniques that have yet to be proven, at least, for them. So there are challenges getting programs like this up and running, and because of this Emma doesn't like to be in a position where she has to rush results. She also refuses to let her projects and programs be used as political tools, and so there have been instances where she has turned down offers of assistance from the government as well.
Emma's Organic Coffee
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| My good friend Jakob, organic coffee farmer explaining the business in Kayu Aro |
Emma also has a "side project" outside of her work with LTA: she provides organic arabica coffee seedlings and training to farmers in Kerinci district. Though this project is for profit, Emma incorporates principles of ecofriendly sustainable agriculture in her business. Emma and her partners set up a nursery to grow arabica seedlings a few years ago in Kayu Aro, Kerinci. Emma employs local women to work in the nursery, and she sells seedlings at slightly below market prices to interested farmers. These farmers have to agree that they will not grow the coffee in the national park (illegal coffee farming inside the park is a major problem), and in exchange they get guidance and support from Emma and her partners. Emma also tries to incorporate organic fertilizer as much as possible. After two years, when the coffee is ready to be harvested, Emma buys the coffee for export. Most of the coffee grown in this area is robusta and is produced for the domestic market, so many farmers are eager to partake in the greater profits available to farmers that grow the higher-quality arabica. Emma already has more than 300 area farmers growing coffee for her.
Currently Emma markets the coffee through a consortium because her farmers don't yet produce enough to export it alone. But the program is rapidly expanding, and Emma has plans to create a Kerinci Coffee brand and market it around the world. She has already had the coffee graded by a professional taster, and it has achieved very high marks (I've tasted the coffee myself, and though I am not normally very sensitive to these sorts of things, I can honestly say that Emma's coffee is by far the best I've ever had). So in the near future, you may see Organic Kerinci Coffee at a supermarket (or Starbucks) near you. Do yourself a favor and have a cup; you won't be disappointed. And you'll be helping out small-scale farmers on Sumatra.
Its sad to see that in such a rural and natural part of the world they are also relying so heavily on synthetic fertilizers. I'm not a star botanist, but in the sunny/rainy rain forest climate of Indonesia, isn't fresh water all crops need to thrive? I guess its because of a higher demand and more people. With this said its great to see locals going back to their roots of natural farming!
ReplyDeleteHi Chris. Just like soil any place else, plants grow because of the nutrients in the soil and because of water. so when you harvest something from the land, you are basically taking those nutrients out of the cycle, since if they died and decomposed without being harvested the nutrients would be returned to the land. So from time to time all soil needs to be replenished.
DeleteI've learned from other of your posts that a significant amount of Sumatra's national forests are being encroached through illegal cultivation of the land. However, I was wondering how much deforestation was taking place due to cutting down trees for fire wood since that is the main way in which people cook.
ReplyDeleteHi Jeremy. This is a good question and I don't know the answer to it. My sense is, that at least at Kerinci Seblat National Park, firewood is not one of the bigger drivers of deforestation.
DeleteI have to respect Emma and LTA's work. I hope they can continue their work in a future too, and our nature will be saved by them.
ReplyDeleteHaving to grow organic coffee takes a lot of effort because the coffee has to meet certain requirements or have certain qualities to be considered "Organic." That alone is amazing. Also the compost project seems to be beneficial to the farmers/villagers. I live for coffee, I would definitely want to get myself a cup of Emmas coffee.
ReplyDeleteI really admire what Emma and the LTA are trying to accomplish. I’m glad someone is offering classes and training to the farmers. From reading previous entries, the government seems to be lacking in that area. I think the training programs and organic compost will be very beneficial to everyone! Not only do the farmers benefit from Emma and the LTA’s efforts, but the land and surrounding environment reap the benefits as well. From the given testimonies, it seems the farmers are really enjoying the organic compost’s effect on their crops, and enjoying the biogas stations. I wish Emma and the LTA the best of luck in their endeavors.
ReplyDeleteIts really nice to see people get two-fold benefits from their work. Like the bio-gas in this article. It was fertilizer and gas they could use for cooking all in one. I hope Emma keeps up the good work.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to hear that Emma and LTA have adopted a viable plan of action to conserve valuable earth resources by substituting organic fertilizers for synthetic ones on their fields, utilizing the natural methane gas to cook instead of depleting the wood supply and not pollutig the air and saving these poor villagers lot of money in production costs which makes them happier. This happiness changes the mental energies in the universe and in its own way brings as much positive results to our planet as physical changes do. I have been complacent in my efforts to do my part to save this planet because I did not feel that anything I did made a difference but after reading this blog, I am again motivated to do my small part to conserve natural resources and add my own positive mental energies to the vibrations of earth to affect the changes we need to survive this vicious cycle of human destruction. Yes, I again believe that one person can make a difference because another person will be motivatied by him and so on down the line. Tell Emma to keep up the excellent attitudes and work ethics.
ReplyDeleteIt's always nice to see farmers take the "organic" route to fertilize their crops. What kind of livestock does Emma use to feed her plants with? Steer? Chicken? I have always wanted to know what type of manure would be best for my crops at work because we use all types of organic fertilizers for our plants. I also wonder, has Emma ever considered using an aquaponics system? This way, you can create two sources of food at once; fish, and vegetables.
ReplyDeleteHi there. Usually the type of manure depends on the area. In the Kerinci valley they use manure from water buffaloes, which are used primarily as a beast of burden, in some places, but more commonly from cows. They also use other organic waste as well. Interesting question about aquaponics...as far as I know they've never experimented with that, but you do see a lot of small-scale fish ponds on Sumatra.
DeleteThe use of organic fertilizers is much less harmful to the environment and to our health, but I was most impressed by the idea of using the methane produced from this fertilizer for household purposes. The hesitation to accept government funding is understandable, however is there any possibility of widespread use of these methods to feed large populations of people? It seems many farmers and their families are enjoying the benefits of organic farming, and I hope these methods become more popular for the sake of the people and the environment.
ReplyDeleteHi Eric. I think that there is potential for large-scale adoption of these methods, because in some places they still use organic composting. However in places where chemical fertilizers are used the farmers have to be trained, which takes time, money, and expertise. Also, farmers in general tend to be "risk averse", which means they are sometimes reluctant to try new things. You can understand why; when you are growing your own food and crop failure means significant hardship, you may not be too eager to give up the old tried and true methods you're used to for an unproven technology.
DeleteI love this system of composter/biogas facility, using a proven method that many cattle ranchers in the U.S. use, supporting their entire operation using the methane from cow manure; as well as large companies such as Waste Management who produce electricity from large "bio-landfills". My question is in the economy of Indonesia will the initial cost of the composting unit pose too significant a barrier to the local farmers. If so is there a way to lessen the cost by making the first units larger so that multiple farmers can use them? Is there a large enough local market for the "organic" foods that these composters would produce or would this "organic" food have a negative impact locally by being exported to a more expensive market?
ReplyDeleteHi. Good questions. I think that for many farmers the initial cost is a barrier to "entry", but on top of that the knowledge and know-how required to get started constitutes a significant barrier as well. That's where organizations like LTA come in; not only are the helping with the initial funds, but they also provide training for the farmers. And you pointed to the idea of efficiency through scaling up (making bigger units); this is more expensive but more people can benefit. So LTA has started making some bigger units; you can see one in the first picture in this blog post. As for a local market for organic foods, many of them are consumed by the household that produces them; in the case of the coffee, it's for export. I asked the same question when I was there about the market, and around Kerinci (where Emma and LTA work) there isn't a specific demand for organic produce yet.
DeleteI am very interested in the Organic Compost/Biogas Project that the LTA has developed. I can't believe how the farmers are saving so much money, and how much healthier the crops must be without the use of the fertilizers. How did the LTA introduce micro-organisms into the compost piles, and did they teach they villagers to do the same? It's an amazing idea that the park will be protected by educating the villagers to become more eco friendly. As for Emma's coffee business I think growing trees and giving the farmers fair profit will definitely help prevent deforestation. I hope the project grows since it can inspire people and change many areas of the world. As for coffee I would try a cup if I ever do see it in Starbucks!
ReplyDeleteHi there. The way it works is that LTA (Emma's NGO) provides the microorganism the first time, but it is easy to "cultivate" the microorganism because it propagates itself. So if you have some it is easy to make more.
DeleteIt's really encouraging to hear about some one like Emma who is so ambitious as to run her own organization to help the environment like this. I believe it to be very important, being aware of harmful things such as chemical fertilizer. It is a bittersweet idea. Using chemical fertilizers results in a higher yield but unfortunately it may be harmful to the soil on the long term scale. Personally, I would chose organic manure. Another thing that struck me as interesting was the intuitive movement to use methane that resulted from decomposition as a fuel for home stoves. I thought this to be extremely neat and friendly to the forests, rather than cutting down trees for fire wood. All in all it is quite enlightening to hear about these hard working people who want to help the environment and are acting upon it so strongly. Hard working and intelligent people.
ReplyDeleteHi there. I'm not so sure that chemical fertilizers do actually produce higher yields than good organic fertilizer.
DeleteIt is fascinating to hear about this process of methane extraction. I didn't know that you could get gas naturally in that way. Usually I think of gas as only being available by being piped in from the city or purchased in a can from the city. Is there any odor that the gas gives off; does it smell different from propane? Does this system of gas cultivation produce enough gas to meet the demands? Is it dangerous? How long has this technique been around, and do farmers in other parts of the world know about it? It would be a valuable technique for organic farmers and ranchers living in rural areas, even in countries like the United States and Australia. How is the fuel material collected, and is it very labor intensive? What is the cost in materials to build one?
ReplyDeleteHi there. Even the gas that comes in the pipe has to come from someplace. Usually the natural gas odor that you are used to in the city is a scent that is added by the gas company so that leaks can easily be detected. So natural gas is naturally odorless. As for meeting demands, the amount you get is proportional to the amount of compost material you add. One household can produce enough to supply one stove. I don't think it's really dangerous because it's not a whole lot of gas and it's not under pressure, but theoretical a fire or small explosion could happen.
DeleteThanks for posting this article up. This was very enjoyable reading on how Emma and others are helping out the environment and using eco-friendly methods like using the manure of livestock and waste left over from rice and other crops to help create the fertilizer and the biogas that is emitted from it to help with heating and cooking instead of relying on oil. This really opened my eyes on how much resources are out their to make this world a healthier place to live in. Thank you.
ReplyDeletehey there. i am no farmer but it has come to my attetion, how did emma atart up an orginazation and fundimentally operate it to its current capacity. also the biogas station is a great opportunity for the locals of this part of the land to go eco friendly or not reply on some of its main natural resources. the biogas station is fairly inexpensive to run in my eyes minus the cost to put the gas in. what you get back from it is a fertilizer you may use for cropping plants. so in my ending i have to say the coffee is proably emma's big bang theory as far as if she decides to go public with it she could get paid so to say. but if she did would those farmers that plant her beans get some kind of conpinsation from the profit? just trying to see if she is about helping out those if it came to her blowing up to a possible millionare that is all.
ReplyDeleteby: ryan mierop
Hi Ryan. Good questions. As for how Emma got the organization started, she has a lot of experience working with NGOs and worked for the WWF a number of years ago when they had a project at Kerinci Seblat National Park. She's been able to expand her skills over the years and identify ways in which she can help. She is very smart and a hard worker, which helps. As for the coffee, she buys the coffee from the farmers at market price and also arranges for all the marketing, so she's adding a significant amount of value for them because they make much more growing her Arabica coffee, which gets exported, than robusta, which is mainly for local consumption.
DeleteHi.Is really sad to know that in such a green place, and in a place where there is not too much money, farmers use strong fertilizers. Is a very good action what Emma is doing by helping and training the farmers in order to not harm the environment as much. I wonder about the deforestation , because you say that they use wood as their cooking fuel. One of the things that really surprised me from your blog is how methane is form! Really surprising that in such a natural place you can get natural gas. I can't way to see Organic Kerinci Coffee in Stutbucks, as long as is also helping the farmers from that area, it will be a pleasure for me to drink it.
ReplyDeleteGood Job!
Kumu!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this article you wrote. I worked on a self-sustainable farm in the Pacific Northwest for some time and I really enjoyed relating what I learned there with the things you have learned here! I am a huge nature advocate and I think that it is great that Emma is doing this for her town and hopefully she can inspire more people to do the same thing!
The story of Emma and the non-government organization (LTA) is inspiring to me. They have a mission for a good cause, and they pulled together to better their land and to strengthen their community. The LTA organic compost/biogas project was a brilliant idea, since farmers in general are so dependent on chemical fertilizer which leads them into a financial liability due to high costs. It is like the saying “killing two birds with one stone.” Chemical fertilizers do negative damage to virtually everything it touches and to everyone who consumes them. I have herd of larger corporations that use the method of composting to produce organic fertilizer and biogas. That is what makes this story so inspiring, that a small community can have such an enormous mission. Emma and the LTA have sense of duty to motivate their community to use natural resources, to produce natural outcomes, to better their land, and to better themselves.
ReplyDelete