Urban farmer communities empowerment through the climate village program in Sleman, Yogyakarta

Abstract

The conversion of agricultural land for residential and commercial use is a severe problem faced by the Sleman District Government. As an urban area where the need for farm products is getting higher, Sleman, on the contrary, is suffering from the availability of agricultural land. Utilization of homestead land optimally is one way to maintain foodstuffs’ availability in downsizing groundwater resources due to climate change and green land conversion. This study explains urban farmer community empowerment through the Climate Village Education in Pendowoharjo Village, Sleman. The empowerment was done under the triple helix model framework, consisting of Janabadra University, village government, the village-owned company called Bumdes Amarta, and an urban farmer community, namely the Tanjung Lestari Women Farmers Group. Activities in the climate village program are the design of rainwater harvesting equipment called IPAH (Rainwater Harvesting Installation), infiltration wells and dead-end channels called rorak, training, and mentoring to use IPAH as well as training in viticulture and hydroponic systems, and optimization of households waste management system, the core business of Bumdes. Indicators of the success and sustainability of the climate village program are the increased number of IPAH facilities, infiltration wells, and rorak; the increased number of residents harvesting and utilizing rainwater, the increased number of female farmer group members who actively use their yards for vegetable cultivation with viticulture and hydroponic system, as well as the increased income of Bumdes from household waste management business.