PRISMA is excited to announce the launch of its final year campaign, #FutureFarmer.

In the past decade, PRISMA has positively impacted over 1.5 million smallholder farming households. PRISMA has supported productivity gains and increased incomes by an average of 150% and leveraged AUD 33m in private sector investment in business models targeting smallholder farming households. However, achieving sustainable agricultural development requires ongoing collaboration and effort.

So, how can we catalyse change?

We know, there are products, services, and technologies available today that can significantly increase smallholder farmers' productivity. But what are they, and how can they reach more farmers? And what is the role of the agribusinesses in encouraging behaviour change?

PRISMA holds answers to some of these questions, drawing from its experience gained through collaborations with 273 private and public sector partners spanning 6 provinces and 12 agricultural commodities.

Future Farmer, aims to share its insights, unearth ideas, and facilitate collaboration among private and public sector market actors. The goal is to equip farmers, businesses and agriculture market actors with the information they need to unlock productivity.

Future Farmers is working towards the Government of Indonesia's vision of modernising agriculture and Indonesia Emas 2045.

What is a Future Farmer? 

A farmer that has access to and is using products, services and technologies that can increase productivity and incomes and build resilience to climate change.

Products, services and technologies include high-yielding climate-smart rice seeds that use less water and fertiliser, high-quality and affordable animal feed that reduces rearing time and women's workloads and finance and technology apps and services that can increase the productivity of agri-kiosks and the farmers they serve.

Increased productivity benefits smallholder farming households and the communities they live in. 

PRISMA's research found that when farmers’ income increases, they re-invest in their agriculture, into small business enterprises and their children’s education – creating stronger communities.

A survey conducted by PRISMA detailed on page 12, engaged 166 farmers from Central and East Java to assess the social impact of income growth. Notably, a significant portion of respondents (31%) prioritized investing or reinvesting in economic activities, alongside daily sustenance (22.5%) and children's education (8.55%). This finding underscores the crucial role income increases can play in expanding economic activities in and improving household and community well-being. 

Supporting climate-resilient farmers 

Climate-resilient agricultural inputs and practices can improve productivity, mitigate emissions and bolster farmers' ability to withstand extreme weather events. For instance, organic mineral-based fertilisers curb emissions and regenerate soils, while drought-tolerant, high-yielding maize seeds offer resilience against drier weather conditions.

The campaign aims to uncover and disseminate climate-smart technologies and agribusiness experiences, while also introducing products and innovations to smallholder farmers. 

Building inclusive markets

Marginalised groups are often involved in agriculture yet miss out as consumers on products and services that could improve productivity. Agribusinesses can bridge this gap by researching and targeting different customer segments.

The campaign shares information to support marketing teams, company field staff, and government extension workers in reaching farmers more effectively. For example, this guidebook for marketing teams, agronomists, and field staff shares practical tips for agribusinesses on improving access to information for women farmers.

Through effective behaviour change

PRISMA has observed and supported companies in adapting their outreach and better supporting farmer behaviour change through this process. For example, supporting businesses to shift from short-term hard-selling strategies for fertilisers and pesticides to education-based marketing that builds trust with customers, increases their success rate and productivity and results in repeat customers. 

In the fertiliser sector especially PRISMA found that fertiliser companies and distributors must engage in good product promotional and marketing strategies and provide regular information on good agricultural practices and proper fertiliser application. Only by doing this would farmers understand the benefits of judicious use of fertiliser and experience improved productivity. 

The campaign shares behaviour change strategies specific to critical agricultural commodities for productivity and growth. 

Hear from our partner, ATS from Medan

 “We want the best results for farmers,' said Pak Eddyko from organic mineral-based fertiliser producer PT Agrotama Tunas Sarana (ATS).

ATS is an organic mineral-based fertiliser company operating out of Medan in North Sumatra, with networks across Indonesia. ATS markets organic mineral-based fertilisers, such as gypsum and silica. Its organic mineral fertilisers help reduce nitrous oxide emissions, reduce water usage and improve soil carbon retention while improving productivity.

“However, encouraging farmers to embrace these products is our greatest challenge, especially in shifting their long-standing habits and rigid mindsets that have endured for years,” sais Pak Eddyko. 

To support a shift in behaviour change ATS has adopted a customer-centric approach. 

ATS is training its field staff in marketing and customer relations to better communicate the product's benefits in a way that makes sense to farmers at important farmer meetings and harvest days.

ATS has also driven up the frequency of farmer interactions to support continuous learning. It has increased promotion activities in East and Central Java to more than 200 farmer meetings, 24 key farmer meetings, 43 farmer field trips and 5 harvest days. Each interaction is a chance to further build farmers’ awareness of the products, brand, and benefits.

The strategy is supporting business growth and farmer productivity, like for Mrs Sunarsih, a shallot farmer and mother of two children from Kediri, East Java.

“I used only chemical fertilisers such as Urea and NPK, which made my soil hard, and I could produce about 5 tonnes from my land. When the rainy season arrived, my shallot plants were also more likely to get moler disease, and I’ve had seasons where I only produce 2.5 tonnes from my land.

Since the introduction of organic mineral-based fertilisers, shallot production on Sunarsih's land has increased by 20% to 40%, resulting in yields of 6 tonnes in the dry season and 3.7 tonnes in the rainy season," explains Mrs Sunarsih.

Regional events culminating in a national closing event

PRISMA will host regional events in Manokwari, Kupang, Madura, Surabaya, and various other locations across eastern Indonesia, alongside national events in Jakarta. The campaign will reach its conclusion with a final closing event in Jakarta in September.

The campaign kicked off events:

Modern Farming: Seizing the Opportunity in Indonesia's Agriculture Machinery Market, shared the market potential for agriculture machinery companies and facilitated networking among stakeholders such as training providers, financial institutions, and media.

Empowering women in the agricultural sector held on International Women’s Day in Jakarta brought agribusinesses together to share strategies for empowering women. 

Tanah Papua Youth-preneur Summit in Manokwari on April 23rd-24th aimed to nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs in the horticultural industry.

We look forward to welcoming you at events, and encourage you to share the campaign news and ideas with your agricultural market networks!

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