Empowering Hundreds of Farmers Around the Company, Semen Gresik Initiates the Semen Gresik Sahabat Petani Program
Rembang, February 4, 2022 - PT Semen Gresik (PTSG) implemented a community empowerment program of Semen Gresik Sahabat Petani (SGSP) for farmers in six villages around the company. This program involved 361 smallholder farmers facilitated to manage land owned by PT Semen Gresik, covering an area of 119.25 hectares.
Head of the Communications and CSR Unit of PTSG, Dharma Sunyata, emphasized that the great idea of SGSP was to optimize the use of natural resources that provided added economic value and increased the capability of the human resources of the community around the company.
''SGSP proves the Semen Gresik's commitment in supporting community empowerment efforts and accelerating local agricultural sovereignty. Hopefully, the community will optimally manage agricultural land with high economic value results,'' Sunyata said in a press release on Friday (4/2).
Sunyata added, SGSP is part of a major design for harmonization of the industry with the environment through integrated farming. The program has been realized by constructing an Edupark in the factory area.
According to Sunyata, the Edupark, built on a land area of 1.6 hectares, is not only for a tourist destination, but also for community empowerment. In the edupark, there are various farm animals, fish, and various vegetables such as spinach, water spinach, mustard greens, lettuce, long beans, eggplants, and lemongrass which have been used both for personal consumption and for sale.
On the other hand, SGSP member, Sungkono, said that he was greatly helped since the cement company in Rembang, through its CSR program, facilitated him by providing land for planting. Not only land, but the company also supports smallholder farmers by providing free corn seeds of around 7 kg and deploying local heroes to assist farmers at all times.
''We have been growing corn here for a long time. I always believe that this cement factory will not leave the farmers alone. Through the SGSP program, the company helps us manage land for maximum yields,'' said Sungkono.
The presence of SGSP in an effort to increase the productivity and quality of the yield of smallholder farmers gained appreciation from religious leaders and community elders of Timbrangan Village, Achmad Achid. According to Achid, PTSG's business activities have created a multiplier effect for surrounding villages such as Timbrangan, Kajar, Tegaldowo, Pasucen, Kadiwono, and Ngampel (Blora District).
''Semen Gresik has a positive impact on local residents, which can be felt immediately. As an advisor to SGSP, Semen Gresik improves the economy and welfare of the residents, who are mostly farmers. For example, they could change the floors of their houses from clay to ceramics," he said.
He admitted that a company is considered caring if it has the following three programs, i.e., socio-economic, social community, and community empowerment. Such mentioned programs are all available at PTSG.
