Golo Pua Village has 4 active Women Farmer Groups engaged in horticultural agriculture. These groups were established in 2019 as part of the guidance from the Kuwus Sub-district Agricultural Extension Center. The Women Farmer Groups have over 70 members. Since 2019, these groups have been developing horticultural farming, particularly chili, using traditional methods. This system led to suboptimal land utilization as land preparation, bed formation, watering, and other processes still relied heavily on manual labor. Guidance continues to be provided by Agricultural Extension Officers in Golo Pua Village. In 2019, chili production from Golo Pua Village was quite high. However, since 2021, horticultural production has begun to decline due to pest attacks, difficulty in maintaining soil moisture, and insufficient water supply. This condition has led to a decrease in the income of the Women Farmer Group members.






















However, the Women Farmer Groups in this village continue to demonstrate that they are the driving force behind horticultural development in the area. In 2022, with the support of the Golo Pua Village Government, the Women Farmer Groups partnered with Gugah Nurani Indonesia Manggarai Barat CDP for assistance in developing horticultural agriculture. To address agricultural challenges, Gugah Nurani Indonesia introduced a drip irrigation system, which has proven effective in increasing crop yields and land use efficiency. This approach has transformed traditional farming into modern agriculture. The use of drip irrigation has had a positive impact on horticultural development, such as expanding the land to 2 hectares and adding new types of vegetables, including beans, carrots, long beans, pumpkins, eggplants, and green onions, in addition to the previously grown chili. Land preparation and the installation of the drip irrigation system began in May 2023. By November 2023, several vegetables planted using the drip irrigation system, such as beans, carrots, long beans, cucumbers, and green onions, were harvested. This system has led to labor efficiency in watering, water usage, and watering time. The water use pattern with this system is also precise, helping to maintain soil moisture. In January 2024, the first chili harvest was conducted. By the end of June 2024, chili production had reached nearly 3 tons.

With the high production results, farmers have started to convert their land from rain-fed rice fields to sustainable horticultural farming. Mrs. Irene Darti, the Chairwoman of the Women Farmer Group, acknowledges that the results from the horticultural development with the drip irrigation system can achieve up to five times the income compared to the previous reliance on rain-fed rice fields.
 





















Gugah Nurani Indonesia hopes that with this success, the Women Farmer Group of Golo Pua can serve as an inspirational example for other communities to adopt more efficient and sustainable farming methods. Additionally, the drip irrigation technique can continue to support the improvement of farmers' welfare and food security in their region, leading to abundant harvests and better economic conditions for farming families, as well as positively contributing to the local economy. We are also committed to continuing our support and training to help farmers become more proficient in applying innovative and sustainable agricultural techniques. Let us together support and expand these innovative agricultural initiatives for a better future.

Edited by: FD Team