Short report on phase 2

This is a short version of the report for phase 2 of the Agricultural Monitoring and Control Project which is made possible by grant from Internet Society (ISOC). This is just a temporary report meanwhile we are still working the repairs and data entry on the web based program.

The field trip to brebes

Due to the fact that we need a car to be available during the whole trip for dropping and picking up team members, the number of personnel is limited to the size of the car. UKRIDA provided the car, driver and fuel, and we practically jammed up the car with 10 persons including the driver!

Team members are:

Departure time was scheduled at 13:00 but we left a little later (habit, I guess) at 14:00. The road is smooth from Jakarta to Subang, but from Subang to Brebes there's so many damaged sections that makes it feel as if we were on a long ride in a big boom-boom car. We arrived at 20:00 in Brebes, and stay at Mr Djoko Soeseno house. He and his wife takes care of us as if we are all their children, such a very warm hearted couple.

In the morning we had a meeting with the leaders of the local HKTI (farmers organization) to arrange for the field survey, and we learned a couple of surpising facts; one is that our previous assumption about each farmer owning 1 Ha (10000 meter square) of farming land of more is greatly mistaken, because most farmer own less than 3000 meter square of farming land; the other surprise is the fact that ownership of land is mostly not in one parcel, they could be hundreds of meters apart, even in different region entirely! These facts definitely calls for some serious change in the database assumption and program algorithm.

During the two days survey, we visited 6 villages in total, collecting data and samples of soil, plants, fungus and even insect. Meanwhile Miss Nina also went around collecting data about duck and preserved duck eggs because preserved duck eggs is a very important and integral part of farming in Brebes

In overall, the people are happy that ISOC as an international organization cares about their lives and willing to finance a research program to improve the quantity, quality and value of their farm products, and thus improving their livelihood.

The photoshoots below is taken using digital camera belongst to Miss Nina

The morning meeting


The lady in pink is Miss Nina Sevani, the man in pink is the chairman of HKTI Brebes, the man with glasses is Mr Hartasan, the secretary. I am not sure how to spell the name of the others and what are their ranks, will complete later ^.^


From left to right: Suwandy, Arlin, Natanael, Takbir, Andrew, Gularman, Mr and Mrs Djoko Soeseno.


The man on the left is Sri Pamungkas.

The farm survey


Miss Nina is testing out the bamboo bridge


The plants on both side of the path are chili


Farmers working on field


Farmers walking on roadside


Farmers planting Onions


A farmer turning up soil



A hut for the farmers to rest during lunch



A path in the middle of farm, the common access method


Harvest are usually laid up on the side of the farm, they are actually sold. In fact, the farmers sell their crops just the day before they harvest it.


In a glance, there seems to be only one type of crop in the field, actually there are five. The tall trees are long beans, the near bushes are chili plants, a little further are onions and green beans, and still farther are rice plants


During the survey we notice that there are rarely any birds at all on the fields, not so sure yet whether that's good or bad, will have to dig deeper.


A closer view on how the field is arranged, to the left is onion and to the right is chili


This is how some of them irrigate their field, they pump water from nearby river, but not many are lucky to have such a good location.


Rice field from distant and no, the one in the front are not rice plants, they are weeds.


The troop, with a couple of farmers. On the back is the car that had to endure 10 persons for three days.
Two farmers turning up soil. The green grass line is the border between one field and other, they all have different owners.

Duck and duck eggs


A duck up close and personal


Ducks of colors, they are counting one, two, three!


Duck eggs, just gathered from the cage


Duck feed


Ducks walking near farms


Ducks walking near water


Ducks in their cage


Duck stalls


Swimming ducks