BUMI CIPTAGELAR - Ekspedisi Indonesia Biru #05

Summary

The Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar community, located in Banten, Indonesia, thrives through sustainable agricultural practices rooted in tradition. Rejecting mechanized farming, they cultivate their rice fields with respect for nature, ensuring food security for up to three years. The community's adherence to ancestral rules, such as planting rice only once a year, along with collective land ownership, protects their agricultural heritage. Additionally, they harness renewable energy sources like micro-hydro and solar power, contributing to their self-sufficiency. Despite challenges, Cipta Gelar's holistic approach to farming, energy, and governance offers a model for sustainable living.

Takeaways

• 😀 The community of Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar in Banten, Indonesia, practices sustainable agriculture without mechanization, producing enough food and even generating its own electricity.
• 😀 Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar has 8,000 rice granaries, ensuring food security for up to three years, despite only planting and harvesting rice once a year according to traditional customs.
• 😀 The community prohibits selling rice or paddy, as doing so is considered a grave transgression, as rice is seen as life itself.
• 😀 The Kasepuhan community adopts synchronized planting based on astronomical signs, which minimizes pest problems and eliminates the need for pesticides.
• 😀 The community maintains over 120 varieties of rice, preserving agricultural biodiversity and traditional knowledge passed down from ancestors.
• 😀 The communal land ownership system in Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar ensures cooperative farming, with no personal land ownership, and farming activities are organized collectively.
• 😀 Kasepuhan’s agricultural land is part of a broader land management system that includes protected forests (50%), forested areas with limited use (30%), and agricultural land (10%).
• 😀 Kasepuhan’s ability to generate electricity from micro-hydro and solar power reflects its self-sufficiency, ensuring the community has access to sustainable energy.
• 😀 Despite being a country rich in agricultural land, Indonesia faces challenges in food security and must import rice, contrasting with Cipta Gelar’s self-sufficient model.
• 😀 The community's focus on preserving traditional agricultural practices and resisting modern industrial farming methods is seen as a way to return to a more sustainable and prosperous agricultural past.

Q & A

What is the location of the Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar community?

Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar is located in the southern part of Banten province, specifically in the Cisolok district, Sukabumi, West Java. It lies within the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park area.

What makes the agricultural system in Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar unique?

The agricultural system in Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar is unique because it prohibits the use of modern agricultural machinery, such as tractors, and allows only one harvest per year. Despite this, the community manages to produce enough food, including rice, to sustain itself for up to three years, without relying on chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

How does the community's view on selling rice differ from common practices in other parts of Indonesia?

In Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar, selling rice is considered taboo and is seen as selling one's life, as rice is equated with life itself. This belief contrasts with practices in other parts of Indonesia, where rice is often sold for economic purposes, and the government relies on importing rice during shortages.

What strategies does Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar employ to manage agricultural pests without using chemicals?

The community plants rice in a synchronized manner, following astronomical signs. This method helps manage pests naturally, as any pests that appear in the fields are dealt with promptly. Additionally, by planting rice simultaneously, the pest cycle is broken, minimizing the spread of infestations.

What is the role of Abah Ugi in the community?

Abah Ugi, the current leader of the Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar community, became the leader at the age of 21, succeeding his late father, Abah Anom. He is responsible for guiding the community in adhering to traditional customs, including sustainable agricultural practices and the management of the environment.

How does the land ownership system in Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar differ from other regions in Indonesia?

In Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar, land is not privately owned. Instead, it is managed communally, with land rights based on usage rather than ownership. There is no formal land certification, and land can be transferred between community members through a compensation system.

What are the three categories of land in Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar?

Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar's land is divided into three categories: 1) 'Hutan Titipan' (protected forests), 2) 'Hutan Tutupan' (forest areas with limited use for non-timber forest products), and 3) 'Hutan Bukaan' (opened land for farming and settlement).

How does the community ensure food security?

The community maintains food security by using traditional methods, such as rice storage in 8,000 rice barns, which can ensure food availability for up to three years. Additionally, they practice synchronized planting and have a variety of rice strains, which contributes to a more sustainable and resilient food system.

How does the community produce its own electricity?

Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar generates its own electricity through a micro-hydro system powered by the abundant water supply from the surrounding environment. They complement this with solar energy to ensure a steady supply of electricity year-round.

What is the significance of Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar's television station?

The community has established its own television station to serve as a platform for educating and informing the residents of Kasepuhan Cipta Gelar. This initiative reflects their self-sufficiency, not only in terms of food and energy but also in communication and information dissemination.