Supporting Rubber Farmers to Replant, PGN Pagardewa Station Introduces “SISTER DEWA”

Pagardewa - PT Perusahaan Gas Negara Tbk - Pagardewa Gas Compressor Station continues its commitment to supporting the welfare of rubber farmers in Pagar Dewa Village by presenting the Pagar Dewa Integrated Planting System (Sister Dewa). Sister Dewa is present with the Pesona Tani Dewa Social Innovation program or Sustainable, Optimal, and Adaptive Agriculture for Pagar Dewa Farmers.

Sister Dewa aims to support rubber farmers in rejuvenating unproductive rubber plantations, while also helping them overcome various challenges that are often faced, such as the difficulty of obtaining superior seeds, access to affordable fertilizers, low incomes of rubber farmers, and the threat of forest and land fires.

"Through Sister Dewa, rubber farmers in Pagar Dewa Village can be more confident in rejuvenating their plants without worrying about the economic difficulties that accompany the process," hopes Fajriyah Usman as PGN's Corporate Secretary.

Pagar Dewa Village, most of whose residents are rubber farmers, faces major problems in the rubber rejuvenation process. The process takes up to 6-7 years before the trees can produce sap again. During this period, farmers who depend on income from rubber often have difficulty meeting their daily needs. Not infrequently, farmers are forced to seek loans with unprofitable payment schemes or even tied to middlemen when this rejuvenation is carried out.

Through "Sister Dewa", PGN is trying to change this old pattern by introducing an integrated rejuvenation method. With the support of the Padetra Artomulyo Cooperative, rubber farmers now have access to a number of supporting facilities, such as "Dewa Pupuk" which provides liquid fertilizer to accelerate rubber growth, "Dewa Kompos" which improves soil structure, and "Dewa Bibit" which provides quality superior seeds.

The cooperative also provides alternative sources of income for farmers during the replanting period. Through the "Akal Aren" program, farmers can access working capital whose payments can be deferred until after the harvest, so that financial needs during the rejuvenation period can be met without having to rely entirely on the rubber harvest.

Sister Dewa not only helps increase the income of rubber farmers in the long term, but also seeks to build economic independence for them. With the support of various parties and optimization of local resources, rubber farmers in Pagar Dewa are expected to be able to escape the trap of a single income scheme and open up opportunities for better welfare.

Ade Nandang as the Head of the Padetra Arto Mulyo Cooperative who is also one of the rubber farmers in Pagar Dewa Village said that he really felt the benefits of Sister Dewa, especially when he was about to rejuvenate. He became braver and no longer worried when he was about to rejuvenate rubber.

"So far, we have always depended on rubber yields, but if the trees are old and unproductive, income will also decrease. Thanks to Sister Dewa, we are given access to superior seeds and affordable fertilizers. In addition, we are also given the opportunity for additional income with loans that can be paid after harvest, so we don't need to worry anymore during the rubber rejuvenation period," said Ade.

"The Sister Dewa program is a real form of our concern for the welfare of rubber farmers and sustainable economic development in the Pagar Dewa area. Hopefully, the Sister Dewa that we present can support rubber farmers to replant, so that the sustainability of rubber plantations in our operational area can be maintained," concluded Fajriyah.