In Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), PEKKA women and youth are strengthening their communities through training in small enterprise management and organic gardening. These initiatives are helping families generate income, reduce household expenses, and preserve traditional food and seed systems.
Enterprise training
In Keru Baki, Lembata, 27 young women and men took part in small enterprise training. Guided by PEKKA women, participants formed new ventures, including a local coffee business and an organic garden collective. Four young women now manage the coffee enterprise, selling both within NTT and across Java. Despite challenges competing with commercial coffee brands, the group has successfully promoted their product, covered operating costs and paid wages.
Meanwhile, 14 participants established individual businesses, ranging from organic gardens to mangrove eco-tourism in Muruona. These enterprises not only generate income but also strengthen local community organisations.
Organic gardening
Across Lembata and Adonara, PEKKA members are learning how to rejuvenate overused land using compost made from animal dung and dry leaves. Gardens have been replanted with maize, cassava, aubergine, bitter gourd and chilli, providing food for daily consumption and surplus for sale. Members note that income is not only measured in cash but also in reduced household food costs and better nutrition.
For example, Ina Yuli planted aubergine, bitter gourd and okra, and sold her produce to repay a loan at the PEKKA cooperative. Gardens at PEKKA Centres are also providing vegetables for workers and the wider community.
Food and Cultural Festivals
These successes have been celebrated at the recent Food Festival and Children’s Cultural Festival in late June, in Lodan Doe, Adonara. The festivals highlight food sustainability and the preservation of local seeds, with children presenting drama and dance on traditional cultivation practices. Over three days, the activities included food processing workshops, a crop exhibition, a food bazaar and seed barter.
This year children received fruit seedlings to plant, encouraging families to improve food security and generate income to support education.
Challenges and next steps
While progress is encouraging, challenges remain. Not all trainees have been able to apply their learning in sustainable ways, and young people need further motivation to pursue agriculture. Heavy rainfall has improved harvests but created difficulties in storing and preserving crops.
To address this, PEKKA is promoting smoking rooms to preserve maize, developing seed banks and community food stores, and running competitions for youth to create model gardens. Plans for the coming months include:
- Expanding organic agricultural training at the Food Festival
- Supporting 250 participants from three districts
- Establishing ‘food schools’ at PEKKA Centres with new training modules
- Building stronger cooperatives and community food storage systems
Through these initiatives, PEKKA women and youth are not only strengthening local livelihoods but also preserving culture, protecting biodiversity, and building resilience for the future.
Thank you to Lyrebird Dreaming for their generous funding of PEKKA’s activities.
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