Discova aids Bali farmers with new initiative

Discova is launching a new farm-to-table project in Bali to provide additional income for local farmers whose livelihoods have been impacted by the prevailing tourist drought due to the pandemic.

Peter Christiansen, Indonesia country manager for Discova, said the project will not only help local communities generate income, but also support Bali’s growing organic farming movement.

Discova, Bali Rare Paduraksa partner to educate farmers in Bali on organic and sustainable farming

“We begin our first phase with 22 farmers and 3ha of land. I have been moved by the enthusiasm and passion of the local people to move away from traditional farming. They are focused on working towards a healthier environment, but also want to ensure healthier diets, especially for their kids,” he added.

Discova has partnered with Bali Rare Paduraksa to educate farmers from a village in Karangasem regency on organic and sustainable farming. The tie-up sees Discova provide finance for organic farming workshops, irrigation infrastructures, along with rice seeds and vegetable plants for community farmers.

Discova is also helping farmers to sell their organic and locally made produce directly to partner hotels and restaurants across the island and nationwide, including Cross Hotels & Resorts. The new initiative is part of the DMC’s long-standing commitment to a more sustainable tourism, which directly benefits local communities where it operates.

Christiansen said the farm-to-table project is a long-term initiative, with a dedicated team appointed to helm it. “We are helping community farmers convert from conventional farming using chemical intervention, to more sustainable, organic methods. When international tourism returns to Bali, we will help our communities build their own businesses providing cooking classes, trekking, cycling experiences to our travellers, generating direct income for locals,” he said.

Discova aims to collaborate with educational travel agents and institutions to bring students into the village to assist the local village to build irrigation systems for their crops and help improve their income by increasing the quality and quantity of their crop through needs analysis and study of the supply chain. The Discova Educational Travel Team also work directly with five other communities in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam since 2007.

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