Report
Examining rural development through multipurpose uses of coconut in West Kalimantan, Indonesia
 |
 |
|
| Making Virgin Coconuts Oil (VCO) in Sungai Bemban village | ||
Rimi Tono
Master course first year, International Environmental Science and Agriculture,
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
Destination and period: West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Nov. 26- Dec. 10, 2012.
Abstract:
I went to Sungai Bemban village, West Kalimantan, Indonesia for 15 days. The purpose of this overseas field training was
to research the potential of the community development through making Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) and charcoal from coconut
shell. There are a lot of palm oil plantation surrounding the Sungai Bemban Village and cause of this this village faces to
crisis
of the disappearance. I try to make living from VCO and coconut shell charcoal to be able to independent economically
to solve
this situation. With Perkumpulan KABAN and Yayasan Diam Tama those are my counterpart organizations, I went there and
do face to face interview to know the possibility of this project.
From the result of my survey, there are potential of making VCO, but we need to organize the villagers. Because coconut lives
in the village but each villages have small coconut farm, and to make VCO they need cooperate together.
Through this overseas field training, I learned the how important to see
the filed by my eyes. It is easy to focus on just bad side
of the problem. However the issue is not so simple. We need to see both side of the problem. Also I’m aware that language is
very important to communicate with the people in the place and to get the information.
Key words: VCO, Coconut, Palm oil, Community development