Gemawan, together with local farmer groups in Mempawah Regency, organized an advocacy training aimed at strengthening farmers’ mindset, capacity, and bargaining power in defending their rights and interests. The activity, attended by farmers under Gemawan’s assistance, was held on Wednesday (19/11/2025) at the Galang Village Office, Sungai Pinyuh District.
Rasidi, the Head of Galang Village, welcomed the initiative, noting that advocacy knowledge is an essential foundation for farmers when confronting challenges at the local level.
“As the village head and host of this event, I feel proud and grateful. This training helps us understand the steps we must take when dealing with issues on the ground,” Rasidi stated.
Representatives of farmer groups from 15 villages across Mempawah participated in the session, bringing perspectives from various agricultural commodities. The participants worked in groups to map the challenges faced by local farmers and categorize each issue based on its characteristics.
Training facilitator Lani Ardiansyah encouraged participants to identify the specific problems within their groups.
“I have prepared a mapping template. For example, if the challenge is difficulty obtaining affordable, high-quality organic fertilizer, the category would be inputs or production supplies. Please describe each issue according to your commodities,” Lani explained.
In addition to mapping problems, participants were asked to assign a success score for potential advocacy outcomes, using a scale of 1–10, and to discuss their assessments within their groups.
“Please deliberate on these scores together so we can gauge the potential success of the advocacy steps you will take,” added Ucup, Lani’s nickname.
During a simulation session, participants took on key roles such as journalists, agency heads, business actors, farmers, and legislators. This exercise illustrated the political dynamics they may encounter—how capital interests, bureaucracy, and elite power often intersect with the needs of smallholder farmers.
At the end of the activity, the Gemawan team synthesized the results of all group discussions. As a concrete follow-up step, farmer representatives will be prepared to conduct an audience with the Mempawah Agriculture and Food Security Office, bringing the mapped issues and presenting demands for more farmer-oriented local policies that are not driven solely by narrow economic interests.
This training was not merely a learning forum—it was an effort to cultivate farmers’ political awareness, reinforcing that they are not only food producers but citizens with the right to guide policy processes and defend their living space.