Pangalengan farmers: Friends of the forest

The activities of the "Friends of the Forest" farmers are very different from the usual farming practices that are carried out in the main vegetable growing areas in Pangalengan of West Java, Indonesia. Most vegetable farmers in the area depend on large amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides which has brought about an ecological imbalance in the area. Unlike most other farmer groups, the "Friends of the Forest" farmers depend only on local resources to carry out their projects. It is a great example of using local resources and initiatives to solve local problems and the lack of reliance on external resources makes it possible to replicate this experience elsewhere. The farmers in the Gunung Tilu area feel that so far very little publicity has been given to their activities, which could bring new ideas and some hope to those interested in maintaining ecological balance such as the small organic farming movement in the area.