In the dry season, most regions experience drought. Likewise in several regions in Yogyakarta, especially in mountainous areas where the land is rain fed and there is no irrigation. At that time, farmers often experienced difficulties in fodder forage, because the availability began to decrease, so that the land could not be cultivated or just waiting for the last harvest, generally cassava and maize and new land management would be carried out before the rainy season.
This condition is typical for some regions in Indonesia where the land is rain fed. In some villages, because the land cannot yet be cultivated, it encourages family heads (fathers) to work in the city while the mothers stay at home.
Seeing this, the Department of Animal Nutrition and Food, Faculty of Animal Science (FAS) UGM was moved to empower groups of women farmers in the area around Yogyakarta through assistance in the field of animal husbandry.
Lecturers in the Department of Nutrition and Animal Feed, with Prof. Dr. Ir. Kustantinah, DEA., IPU., a lecturer at FAS UGM as the coordinator of the empowerment of women peasant groups said, the first coaching was carried out since 1999 until now, starting in Kwarasan, Kedung Keris Village, Nglipar District, Gunung Kidul Regency. The activity was carried out in collaboration with the Department of Nutrition and Animal Feed of the FAS UGM and Aberdeen University, Scotland, with the sponsorship of DFID, British Council.
“Furthermore, we are assisting more farmer women’s groups, located in the Gombang of Ponjong Sub-District, Banyusoca Village, Playen Sub-District, and Wonolagi in Playen Sub-District of Gunungkidul Regency, while in Sleman Regency, the activities of the Women’s (Gama Turgo Lestari) assistance group are in “Turgo Village, Pakem District, Sleman Regency, likewise, the activity took place in Kulon Progo Regency,” said Kustantinah.
The Department of Nutrition and Animal Feed (NMT) no longer accompanies all of these women’s groups routinely, because they have independently managed their livestock. At present, the Women’s Farmers Group that is still accompanied is the Ngudi Lestari Gama women’s group in Gombang Village in Playen District and Sumber Rejeki Gama Women’s Group, in Ngleri Village, Wonolagi, Playen Subdistrict, Gunungkidul District, as well as the Gama Turgo Lestari Women’s Group, in Turgo Village, Pakem District, Sleman Regency. The name Gama is used, because it is guided by the lecturers at the FAS UGM.
“During the mentoring, the members are equipped with skills in the field of animal husbandry, namely making stage cages, introducing forage, planting forage plants in the rainy season for availability in the dry season, and forage as an anti-parasitic material, waste treatment, and livestock breeding. , etc. Likewise, milk processing, especially in the Gama Turgo Lestari Women’s Group, because what was developed was the Ettawa Goat (PE),” explained Kustantinah.
Each region has its own potential and types of livestock, but small ruminants (goats or sheep) are always chosen because they will be raised by mothers so that they are not expected to be too difficult or heavy. Goats that are kept are considered a noise and must be rolled out to new members.
This activity is in the field of animal husbandry, so that group members are mothers who are used to farming and raising livestock. Access to forage as feed is very important, so members must have land, can be in the form of their own land, or as land tenants (forestry, rent, etc.), so access to forage is not a problem. Likewise, the availability of water must be available, even in the dry season.
Kustantinah revealed, the group members were highly disciplined in carrying out these activities so as to produce satisfying results. These empowerment activities can help members improve their welfare, this can be seen from the increase in the number of livestock raised, members can sell livestock produced (children) for basic family needs, medication, school, house repairs, bathrooms, and other urgent needs, and also mostly used as savings. This is in accordance with the purpose of raising livestock in rural areas, in general, raising livestock, used as savings, which will be easily cashed out, if needed. For members who own land, they can use plants or agricultural by-products for animal feed.
“Among these groups, the Gama Sumber Rejeki Farmers Women’s Group in Ngleri Village, Wonolagi sub-village, the location is the most difficult to reach. This area is surrounded by forests managed by Perhutani and UGM (WANAGAMA Forest), another access is separated by a river, the Oya River which is useful to help provide forage during the dry season, but there is no bridge connecting the village to other villages,” said Kustantinah.
In 2007, the Department of Nutrition and Animal Feed succeeded in coordinating the construction of a semi-permanent suspension bridge with assistance from the District Government. Gunungkidul, Rotary Club of Westhill, Aberdeen Scotland UK, Rotary Club of Yogyakarta, UGM Transportation Study Center, Civil Engineering UGM, and especially lecturers at the FAS UGM and also the Wonolagi and Pengkok communities, the bridge is a Gotong Royong bridge from various parties. In 2019, the bridge will be replaced by a more permanent suspension bridge due to flooding. The bridge replacement was carried out by the Gunungkidul Regency Government, so that at present the Wonolagi village can be more easily accessed.
In the Gama Sumber Rejeki women’s group, Wonolagi Hamlet, Ngleri Village, Kustantinah developed the Goat Bean which is a germplasm. The goat is a goat that has a small body but is a native Indonesian goat, whose population, especially in Java, is very small, which can only be obtained or maintained by people in the West Java area (Serang). Seeing this, Kustantinah and staff of the NMT Department Lecturer, FAS UGM were determined to develop the Goat Bean which is an Indonesian germplasm based on farmer women’s groups. This activity is ongoing, with the hope that if the development is successful, then the Indonesian germplasm development model (Goat or other Goat) whose population has greatly decreased can be developed based on the Farmer Women’s Group. This is an ideal the NMT Department will achieve.
Aside from being a means of dedication, assistance to farmer women’s groups is also used as a research facility and practicum for students. Thus, students become aware of and learn the conditions of animal husbandry at the level of people’s farms. Many S-1, S-2 and S-3 students graduated with this activity.
The overall activity was carried out by all staff lecturers and students within the Department of Nutrition and Animal Feed, FAS UGM, and collaborated with various parties, domestically (UGM, Rotary Club, Local Government) and Overseas (Orskov Foundation, Aberdeen, Scotland UK; DFID, British Council UK). (Nadia)