Gemawan remains committed to strengthening local commodity farmers as part of its mission to promote community sustainability and economic independence. Currently, Gemawan is conducting a commodity assessment across six regencies and cities in West Kalimantan — Sambas, Singkawang, Mempawah, Sintang, Melawi, and Kubu Raya.
Mapping Local Agricultural Potential
The commodity assessment, which began in January, aims to identify potential leading commodities that can be further developed by local farming communities. The assessment is scheduled for completion in March, with results expected to provide strategic direction for strengthening commodity farmers in West Kalimantan.
According to Heru Suprihartanto, Program Manager at Gemawan, the assessment serves as an initial step in building a stronger and more competitive agricultural ecosystem.
“The results of this assessment will form the basis for strengthening connections among farmers who cultivate similar commodities. By building collective networks, they can expand their market reach on a larger scale,”
explained Heru.
The commodities currently being assessed include rice, banana, coconut, tubers, pineapple, coffee, and areca nut. However, Heru noted that other commodities may also have potential for inclusion.
“There may be promising commodities with strong market prospects that haven’t yet been recorded in this assessment. That’s why we hope this process will lead to the creation of wider commodity networks and nodes,” he added.
Encouraging Farmer Organization for Broader Market Access
At present, most farmers still sell their produce individually to middlemen due to small-scale production, limited land ownership, and low capacity. Gemawan sees that strengthening farmer networks is key to overcoming these challenges.
If farmers producing the same commodities unite in organizations or cooperatives, they can consolidate their harvests, forming larger, marketable volumes capable of reaching broader buyers.
“Imagine there are 100 farmers, each producing 500 kilograms. Combined, that’s 50 tons — enough to sell directly to large buyers without going through long distribution chains that often suppress prices,”
said Heru.
Through strong collective organizations, commodity farmers can not only improve their bargaining power, but also gain better access to information, agricultural technology, and pro-farmer policies.
Next Steps: Building an Empowered Farmer Ecosystem
Following this assessment, Gemawan plans to facilitate the formation of commodity-based farmer associations or unions. These will serve as platforms for coordination, shared strategies in production and marketing, and access to broader markets.
This initiative forms part of a long-term strategy to establish a sustainable, inclusive, and empowered agricultural ecosystem.
With organized and resilient farmers, the supply chain can become more equitable, improving both productivity and the livelihoods of rural farming communities across West Kalimantan.
Source: Pontianak Post