Organic in Indonesia

Organic in Indonesia

In Indonesia, "modern organic" is ...well, new. Before the Indonesian "Green Revolution" of the 1980's, farming in Indonesia was non-chemical - or traditional organic. The Green Revolution brought chemicals, government education that using chemicals was the right thing to do, and improvements to the economy.

Indonesia is now feeling the impact of almost 30 years of chemical farming. Government subsidies and reduced work loads made government chemicals attractive. Most farms and farmers have become dependent on chemicals because the soil no longer contains any nutrients at all - a product of the "Green Revolution" and years of chemicals first and condition of the land completely ignored.

Since the "Green Revolution", an estimated two generations of farmers have "learned" that chemicals are necessary to farming. Reversing this in Indonesia is difficult on many levels - cultural, financial, educational - but it is happening.

In it's infancy, the New Organic Revolution is taking place "organically". In a third world country with the world's fourth largest population, government support is beginning but has not yet been available to all farmers.