Objective: Develop a Sustainable Hydroponics Agriculture Program to Increase Community Capacity to Generate Income through Alternative Livelihood Agriculture.
Hydroponics is a method of using the nutrient exchange properties of water to grow agricultural (and other) produce without soil but with assistance from an artificial support system; mineral nutrients typically absorbed from the soil will be dissolved in water and absorbed through the plants’ roots. This method is advantageous in that it allows for the cultivation of a diverse range of plants while requiring less space than traditional agriculture, is less costly to maintain, and is less prone to weeds, pests and disease. High-quality produce can be obtained year-round in a controlled greenhouse.
While a wide variety of tropical fruits are produced in the North Sulawesi area, agricultural cultivation is very limited due to practical constraints such as pests and extreme weather conditions―with seasons tending to be too wet or too dry. RACI’s goal is to make hydroponics a viable and profitable livelihood for residents in BNMP. The Hydroponics Sustainable Agriculture Program is a multi-purpose initiative to promote community employment and sustainable enterprise, and seeks to build on existing local livelihood capacities in agriculture. It offers a new business and livelihood skill that can be taught and reproduced in the community to serve both the financial and food security needs of a family.
From an enterprise perspective, there is a high demand within the BNMP resort sector for fresh, conveniently accessible and diverse produce. However, there are currently no local agriculture suppliers servicing businesses in the remote islands of the marine park. By providing resources, expertise, and linkages to material suppliers and markets, this program will help develop a new industry in BNMP—satisfying the currently unmet need for fresh local agricultural produce.
RACI:Indonesia will direct this program following Dr. Howard Resh’s hydroponics planning document created especially for RACI, offering volunteer mentoring and on-site trainings. The produce selected for hydroponics cultivation has been carefully chosen to avoid competition which could negatively affect traditional growers. A tour of the greenhouse will be included in addition to the other workshops available at the Bunaken Artisan Village, and will be open to tourists and local residents alike. RACI aims to power the greenhouse through solar energy by 2011, providing a clean energy alternative to BNMP’s unstable power grid.
