Youth Farmers

Nafsan, is how people call him. He is currently a 3^rd year of Agriculture B class student in SMK Bone-Bone. His warm smile to us when we arrived at his residence and he welcomed us to enter his house.  then introduced myself and explained my purposes to come to his place. Nafsan’s parent is a farmer who works both in the cocoa and paddy field. His family’s cocoa field is currently about 2.5 Ha. The life of his parents has become an inspiration for him to choose agriculture major in his current school despite many other available major such as automotive, electronics, and computer; but his interest in agriculture is bigger than anything. The conditions of cacao plants in his area is currently very concerning, there are many cocoa plants that are not well-maintained and many have converted their cocoa crops into paddy field. This happens because most of the local farmers still do not have the knowledge of rehabilitation and good agriculture practice. From here, while he is in his work industry practice, Nafsan chose to explore cocoa in CDC Tarengge. After almost 4 months of study in CDC Tarengge Academy, he gained a lot of knowledge in good cocoa good agriculture practice. There are times that he cannot forget while in CDC Tarengge such as learn to do a presentation, play and learn, and then he said, “Once, we were obliged to wake up at 6 to do some lining in MRCC, our eyes were still red and it feels like we were still dreaming in bed while we were doing the lining, and our breakfast is in turns, and my turn was the second from the last”. “That are the things that I could not forget while in CDC” Nafsan added.

“In CDC, not only I got the technology package but also a new experience, lesson about discipline and make some new acquaintances. After coming back from CDC I immediately work on my cocoa field by doing side grafting and nursery”, Nafsan Said. “Currently about 5000 seed capacity per year has been established. UV plastics are provided by CDC Tarengge, wooden frames and treatments are funded by my parents and I am the one who takes care of the nursery management”. Looking at the current cocoa conditions in his area and the technology which he got from CDC, he believes that cocoa in his area will develop and there are many farmers who have ordered the seed he keep in order to be re-planted, “After the farmers bought the seed, I will teach them how to plant, line, and treat the cocoa plant. So, I am not only selling the seed but also share my knowledge about cocoa technology to the farmers in my area” Nafsan implied, “The biggest challenge for the young generation these days are their intentions and their ignorance about rejuvenation and good cocoa treatment technology”. “Keep the spirit for sustaining cocoa plant because cocoa is one of the export commodities abroad to be consumed, which makes it always be looked for over time” ends Nafsan.