4.2 Cultivation of Organic Vegetables
in Narrow Land
Farming organic vegetables in narrow land in the area
of the research makes use of the courtyard and the
yard of a house, and the roadsides which certainly do
not hinder traffic. The cultivation also exploits
domestic waste, such as plastic packaging of mineral
water, frying oil, and detergent, paint cans, used
buckets and gutters, and other used materials. Tiny
size ones are functioned as the substitute of polybags
for seedlings. More than one liter/kg size of used
materials is used to cultivate organic vegetables and
are placed in every vacant nook and cranny of the
yard.
The vegetables are planted one by one in the
media, such as used paint cans, buckets, and plastic
packaging of frying oil holed at the bottom part for
water absorption. Approximately two meter long
gutters are used to plant vegetables placed in a row.
Used plastic is to be recycled, but it can also benefit
farmers with an issue of narrow land.
The members of KWT Sri Rejeki also belong to
Family Welfare Movement (PKK) of small groups of
ten families (Dasa Wisma), RT, and RW. Their effort
to undergo family food security through cultivating
organic vegetables in narrow land is supported by
their husbands, children, and parents. Besides, they
also provide treatment of the plants, control pests
naturally by taking advantage of local potentials, and
market the products after harvest if some are left after
meeting their family’s daily consumption. Husbands
play roles in preparing the media and plants’ sitting
places, and making bamboo hydroponic kit to show
their supports whereas children and parents deal with
the treatment and harvest. Post-harvest handling
includes sorting and grouping based on size and
standard to ease the process of marketing the
products.
4.3 Food Security of Organic
Vegetables
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in World
Food Summit of 1996 defines food security as
follows: “food security exists when all people, at all
times, have physical and economic access to
sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their
dietary needs and food preferences for an active and
healthy life.” Based on the definition, a country is not
considered having sustainable food security if its
citizens happen to be in famine and lack of nutrition.
Thus, food security is any country’s mission, for ac-
cess to food is human’s right and must be guaranteed
by the country. One of many efforts a country can
implement is to provide access to food for the poor in
order that they can lead productive life to raise the
state of their economic status. Food security is also
required for the purpose of growing healthy and
quality human resources to increase productivity and
national competitiveness and security.
Table 1: The Flow of marketing of organic vegetables in
narrow land in Gunungpati, Semarang.
No Marketing Pattern Total Percentage
1. Farmers Æ Consumers 23 95.83 %
2. Farmers Æ Sellers Æ
Consumers
1
4.17 %
3. Farmers Æ Collector
sellers Æ Sellers Æ
Consumers
0
0
Total: 24 100 %
Farming production of vegetables is seasonal and
requires particular location. The products are
distributed through marketing to consumers. The flow
of marketing used by the farmers of organic
vegetables in Gunungpati, Semarang, is through
direct marketing system, from the farmers to
consumers (95.83%). Marketing efficiency is
accomplished by analyzing the marketing flow. There
are two patterns in marketing organic vegetables in
Gunungpati. In general, the pattern is where the
farmers market the products to consumer’s first-hand.
It is a definitely efficient way of marketing, for the
farmers can savor all marketing profit margin for
themselves. It is in accord with Soekartawi (1989)
who argues that percentage of price margin paid by
consumers and producers are not too high. The
efficiency supports food security in Gunungpati in
particular. Similarly, Baipheti & Jacobs (2009) in
their research assert that farming contribution is
subsistent to food security in South Africa. In
addition, Ahmed & Lorica’s re-search findings
(2002) reveal that aquaculture handled domestically
improves food security in Asia.
Organic vegetables in narrow land produced in
Gunungpati are subsistent, which means that the
farmers cultivate them to meet their daily needs, and
market the rest if any. If one seeks for polybag plants,
they will trade them. Thus, they contribute a great
deal in providing nutritious, healthy, and safe
vegetables for their family. Moreover, the subsistent
characteristic also raises family’s income. Davidova
et al., (2012) in their research conducted in European
Union support this.
The result of discussion by the research team,
experts, and farmers concludes that family-based
food security model and the use of narrow land
generated based on empirical study in Plalangan is
further developed to be gradually disseminated to