IAR Indonesia is helping farmers in two remote villages in West Borneo get their produce to market by giving them the use of a boat.
The motorised boat will be used by the people of Nusa Poring and Mawang Mentatai Villages, Menukung District, Melawi Regency. The will use it to take their vegetables from Sekujang Hamlet, Nusa Poring Village to marketing locations in Nanga Mentatai Village and along the Melawi River to Serawai District, Sintang Regency.
Markolaus Sutopo of IAR Indonesia said that the reason for making the boat available was to ease the burden on farmers, particularly housewives in the area: “Previously they had to pay IDR 140,000 (USD 9.7) per person to rent a boat when they wanted to sell their vegetables,” he said.
Sutopo explained that having the use of the boat was helping the farmers keep their costs down. “Now they don’t have to pay rent any more,” he said, “they only pay a fee of IDR 60,000 (USD 4.1) and IAR provides temporary boat drivers and assistants too.”
Sutopo added that this was part of IAR Indonesia’s commitment to the community empowerment programme. “YIARI (IAR Indonesia) is not only an institution that is concerned with animal issues, we are also concerned with humanitarian issues. We don’t only care about orangutans, we also care about the local community,” he said.
The farmers have welcomed the assistance provided by the boat with great enthusiasm. “The existence of this vegetable kelotok is very helpful and reduces expenses. We really feel helped by this vegetable ship. Thank you YIARI,” said Juliana, one of the farmers who participates in marketing their agricultural products.”
Alan Knight, IAR Chief Executive, commented: “This is an excellent example of how IAR Indonesia is helping local communities develop and maintain livelihoods that don’t involve damaging or destroying the forest and its biodiversity. It’s a holistic approach to wildlife and environmental conservation that creates a sustainable future for people, animals and habitats.”