The community in the upstream area of the Sengkarang Watershed, Central Java, has long been managing land around the Petungkriyono Forest using horticultural practices detrimental to the environment, such as high erosion rates, low carbon absorption, and minimal biodiversity. Relung Indonesia, with the support of the Environmental Management Fund Management Agency (BPDLH), has undertaken a project to develop agroforestry and integrated farming in the area to address these environmental challenges.

Relung Indonesia has implemented Optimal Land Planting with Agroforestry Patterns. This includes planting 12,000 avocado trees in 4 villages, with an estimated land area of ​​10 hectares. Additionally, they have planted 60,000 coffee seedlings in 4 villages in the Petungkriyono District, including Yosorejo Village, Tlogopakis Village, Kayu Puring Village, and Tlogohendro Village.

The planting activities also include maintenance and care of plants focused on building mini reservoirs. The mini reservoirs are built on lands at risk of experiencing drought during the dry season to bring water sources closer for plant maintenance. 7 mini reservoir units have been constructed in 3 villages. Still, it was agreed that mini reservoirs are unnecessary in Yosorejo Village, as the planting location is close to a water source. The mini reservoirs have been equipped with pipeline installations as water channels from the water source to the reservoirs. The water sources for the reservoirs come from irrigation channels (in Tlogohendro and Tlogopakis Villages) and springs (in Kayupuring Village).

Communities involved in this project include farmer groups from various villages around the project area, including:

1. Dranan Sumber Makmur Farmer Group (Yosorejo Village).
2. Tlogopakis Krajan Farmer Group (Tlogopakis Village).
3. Makmur Farmer Group (Kayupuring Village).
4. Sidodadi Farmer Group (Tlogohendro Village).

Through these efforts, the environment in the upstream area of the Sengkarang Watershed can be significantly improved while providing economic and social benefits to the community.

Kontributor:

Yudistira Soeherman