As a follow-up to the partnership plan agreed by SHEEP Indonesia Foundation (YSI), OMB Buah Simeruk, Village Government (Pemdes), Village Consultative Body (BPD), and Village-Owned Enterprise (BUMDes) Bosua on 26 May 2023, a cross-stakeholder meeting was held. This meeting discussed updating and consolidating the planning and meetings of the Buah Simeruk OMB to match the local food self-sufficiency system planned in Bosua Village. In addition, the meeting also reminded everyone to conduct multi-stakeholder monitoring and evaluation of the Simeruk Fruit OMB plan such as field schools.
The meeting was attended by 28 participants from various village stakeholders, including OMB Buah Simeruk, Bosua Village Government, Bosua BPD, and Bosua BUMDes. The discussion started with an update on the development of the field school delivered by the Chairman of OMB Buah Simeruk to the participants. This was followed by responses from the Bosua Village Government and BPD who paid high attention by asking questions about the impacts and changes that occurred during the field school process. This question was responded to by the Chairman of OMB Buah Simeruk by providing an explanation of the field school observation process, the aspects observed, and the new knowledge gained by the participants.
Furthermore, the discussion continued by discussing post-harvest processing planning that will be carried out in the second phase of Bosua's APBDes disbursement. One of them is a follow-up Technical Guidance (BIMTEK) meeting from the first BIMTEK that was held in 2022, which discusses the making of taro flour and banana flour. In addition, the agenda for the formation of a village empowerment monitoring team consisting of representatives of the Bosua Village Government and the Bosua BPD was also discussed. This team aims to monitor empowerment meetings in Bosua Village, especially those conducted by OMB Buah Simeruk.
During the meetings, some unique and interesting things were discovered. Field school participants reported differences in the growth and development of taro and banana plants according to the agreed treatments. They also reported that they now have the understanding and skills in making organic fertiliser by utilising local resources that are more economical. The village head responded by emphasising the importance of transferring this knowledge to the Bosua community so that they can be self-sufficient in fertiliser and do not need to rely on expensive synthetic chemical fertilisers.
As a follow-up and mutual agreement, a Bosua Village empowerment monitoring team will be formed soon. This team will consist of representatives from the Bosua Village Administration and the Bosua BPD, who will be responsible for monitoring empowerment meetings conducted by OMB Buah Simeruk and other efforts to increase village self-reliance.