TRIBUN-TIMUR.COM – The Dana Mitra Tani (DMT) Institute is holding an outreach that focuses on the Community Development and Assistance Program for Farmers Producing Environmentally Friendly Palm Sugar Products.

This socialization program is supported through cooperative business entities to help restore and protect the Balantieng River Watershed (DAS) ecosystem.

The socialization activity took place in the Bontoharu Village Office Hall, Rilau Ale District, Bulukumba Regency, on Thursday, December 14 2023.

The event was attended by the Department of Cooperatives, MSMEs, Trade and Industry as resource persons, as well as three sub-districts and 13 villages as participants.

The three sub-districts involved are Rilau Ale District, Bulukumba District, and Kindang District.

Meanwhile, the 13 villages involve Swatani Village, Karama Village, Bontoharu Village, Bonto Bangun Village, Pangalloang Village, Bajiminasa Village, Bonto Mate’ne Village, Bonto Lohe Village, Anrang Village, Sapobonto Village, Tammaona Village, and Orogading Village.

Chairman of DMT, Sri Puswandi, briefly explained the formation of the Mitra Tani Institution with the aim of strengthening farming economic business groups.

“The Mitra Tani Fund is an institution formed by farmers in Bulukumba Regency a year ago, with the aim of strengthening and supporting farmer economic business groups based on sustainable agriculture,” he said.

Currently, the DMT Secretariat is located in Sampeang Hamlet, Bonto Haru Village, Rilau Ale District, Bulukumba Regency.

The head of DMT, who is familiarly called Wandi, added that the aim of this program is for farmers to carry out collective work to increase income, especially for palm sugar producing farmers.

“Through this activity, palm sugar producing farmers can synergize in developing human resources, strengthening institutions, increasing economic business results, as well as adapting actions to mitigate climate change and preserve the environment in the Balangtieng watershed area,” he explained.

Secretary of the Bulukumba Regency Cooperatives, MSMEs, Trade and Industry Service, Andi Arfa Syukri, expressed full support for MSMEs and independent farmers.

This is evident from the amount of training and assistance that has been carried out by the Trade Service.

The program run by DMT is the result of collaboration with GEF SGP, the Environmental Business Development Foundation, as well as support from UNDP and the Balang Institute as the Host Institution for the Balangtieng Initiative Program.

This article was published on Tribun-Timur.com with the title DMT Holds Socialization of Environmentally Friendly Program for Palm Sugar Farmers in Bulukumba, https://makassar.tribunnews.com/2023/12/14/dmt-gelar-sosialisasi-program-ramah-lingkungan-untuk-petani-gula-aren-di-bulukumba.