Feature – Father-son farmers from Indonesia’s Karawang brings hope for regeneration of aging farmers

The farmer duo of Haji Iyas and his son Asep brings a glimmer of hope to the Indonesian agricultural sector which is in dire need of regeneration amidst the government’s current efforts to promote food security and resilience programs.

 

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Rf. Habibi, the West Java province Agriculture Ambassador, seemed worried by the fact that although agriculture is one of the pillars of the national economy, the number of aging farmers in Indonesia is increasing while young people are still not looking at this sector as a career choice.

“We are not only facing the problem of aging farmers, in which almost 40 percent of Indonesian farmers are over 55 years old, but also the decreasing number of farmers because being a farmer is still not seen as a proud profession,” he said while delivering material under the theme ‘Challenges in Farmer Regeneration and Strategies for Strengthening Young Farmer Development in Indonesia’, at an event celebrating the 48th anniversary of the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) in Indonesia, which was held here on Monday (Nov. 25).

Thankfully, Habibi’s worries were relieved by the presence of a father-son farmer duo from Indonesia’s Karawang district, West Java procince, Haji Iyas and his youngest son, Asep.

They, along with dozens of other farmers, also attended the TTM anniversary celebration, and had the opportunity to share their stories with the guests including government representatives, academics, researchers, and journalists.

“I have been receiving agricultural coaching and guidance from TTM for five years. Since then, my agricultural output has increased and my income has also increased,” Haji Iyas noted.

Haji Iyas is one of dozens of Karawang farmers who have benefited from the collaboration between the district administration and the Taiwanese agricultural mission, which has been established since 2018.

“The main thing is to just obey everything that TTM says. Starting from sowing seeds, watering to harvesting. If you obey, you will definitely succeed,” Haji Iyas said enthusiastically.

However, Haji Iyas has already been in his aging time.

“I am already 80 years old. However, I am still enthusiastic about working on the land, helped by my son. That’s why the young people must be more advanced and more enthusiastic,” he continued.

Asep, who ‘only’ graduated from junior high school, continued his father’s story. “I have been working at TTM for five years. In addition, I also help work on my father’s farmland. And during this time I have benefited a lot, and have come to understand agricultural technology,” he said.

Armed with the knowledge and best practices he obtained while working at TTM, as well as being a farmer assisted by the Taiwanese agricultural mission, now Asep and his father can harvest vegetables up to 1 to 1.5 tons each season. Previously, they could only harvest 200-300 kilograms of vegetables from his father’s 1,000 square meter farmland.

Not only did they have an abundant harvest, Haji Iyas and Asep also managed to plant and harvest various types of vegetables that are considered ‘unusual’ for Indonesian people, such as white bitter melon, red okra, and pagoda mustard greens.

The farmer duo Haji Iyas-Asep brings a glimmer of hope to the Indonesian agricultural sector which is in dire need of regeneration amidst the government’s current efforts to promote food security and resilience programs.

Recent statistical data recorded the number of millennial farmers aged 19-39 at 6,183,009, or covering 21.93 percent of the total number of farmers throughout Indonesia. Meanwhile, the rice harvest area in 2024 is estimated to be 10.05 million hectares with rice production of around 52.66 million tons of dry milled grain.

Karawang district is the second national rice barn after Indramayu district, West Java province. This year, the rice production target in Karawang reaches 1,211,545 tons, with a harvested land area of ​​188,343 hectares and a planting area of ​​196,055 hectares.

The Taiwan Technical Mission is part of the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), which is dedicated to improving socio-economic development, enhancing human resources, and promoting economic relations in various developing partner countries.

In addition to Karawang, the current working area of ​​the Taiwan Technical Mission includes Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province with a mission to develop rice fields and increase rice production, as well as North Sumatra province which focuses on garlic and shallots.

Reporting by Indonesia Window