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Indonesia: Cultivating Plants Using Hydroponics
Indonesia: Cultivating Plants Using Hydroponics
Until now, anyone who wanted to grow their own vegetables or herbs in the Indonesian city of Palopo needed agricultural land or their own garden. Now, the hydroponic system of the Indonesian Protestant Church in Luwu (GPIL) allows people to grow plants at home. The advantage is that plants grown using this method need no rain or natural sunshine.
Urban communities have little land to grow food. Therefore, in 2021, the Synod of the Indonesian Protestant Church in Luwu (GPIL) started to develop plant cultivation using a hydroponic system. Hydroponics is a form of hydroculture where plants get their nutrients through water rather than soil as they normally do. Hydroponic systems are very space-saving and can also be arranged vertically.
Two-month pilot trial
As early as 2021, the GPIL started the first trial phase of the new cultivation system and it provided two harvests a year. The period from planting the seedlings to harvesting lasted two months. After an evaluation by agriculture students, the system was further improved and made more practical.
The vegetables produced will not only serve the self-sufficiency of congregation members in the city of Palopo but will also be sold to GPIL congregations in the surrounding region. In addition to growing food, the Luwu Church secretariat in Palopo will also become a centre for selling the required components for the hydroponic system. The cultivation system will be set up on site so that it can later be used as a training centre to promote the cultivation method.
Indonesia
The flexibility of location makes hydroponics attractive in urban areas as well as in warm/dry regions of the world.
Practical phase 2023 and 2024
The hydroponic system will be set up at the secretariat of the Luwu Church. After preparing the land, the hydroponic greenhouse will be built and the water system installed. This will allow congregations who are interested in this method to obtain information from a central location and learn how to use the system. As of 2024, training will be offered to congregation members in Palopo.
However, the most important goal of the project is to produce food for congregation members living in the city of Palopo who do not have enough land for cultivation. They can then provide for themselves and earn an additional income by selling their home-grown vegetables.
To operate the hydroponic system, the GPIL also draws on the experience of the Christian Church in South Sulawesi (GKSS). The GKSS is also a member church of the EMS and this cooperation is another example of exchanging and learning from one another within the international fellowship.
Project goals
The initial aim of the project is to produce food for congregation members who live in the city of Palopo and do not have enough land for cultivation. They can then provide for themselves and earn an additional income by selling their home-grown vegetables. In addition to growing food, the Synod in Palopo will also become a centre for selling the required components for the hydroponic system. The hydroponic system will be set up on the site of the Synod secretariat so that it can later be used as a training centre to promote the cultivation method.
Project work
As of 2023, a team from the Synod in Palopo will start installing the hydroponic system. After preparing the land, the hydroponic greenhouse will be built and the water system installed. A special team will be set up for training and to operate the hydroponic system. This includes planting, tending and harvesting the plants. After the facility has operated for one year in 2023, training courses will be offered to congregation members in Palopo starting in 2024.
Project partner
Luwu is a government district in the Indonesian province South Sulawesi of South Sulawesi. The Indonesian Protestant Church in Luwu (GPIL) is a church situated in a region inhabited by small farmers. It has about 20,000 members. Many of the 114 congregations are located in remote mountain regions and can only be reached on foot. For the people there, the training programmes and spiritual support from their church are very important. Thanks to the EMS Fellowship, they take part in worldwide ecumenism.
We are pleased to hear that you are interested in this project. If you have any general questions, please use the contact form below. We are also happy to help you personally if you have any questions or require further information – by phone or by E-mail.
Djoko P. A. Wibowo
Liaison Secretary Indonesia
+49 711 636 78 -36
wibowo@ems-online.org
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