PANGKALPINANG -- PT TIMAH (Persero) Tbk continues to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable development through various Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) programs. One of these efforts focuses on supporting national food security by strengthening the agricultural sector within the company’s operational areas.
PT TIMAH supports the agricultural sector by providing farming facilities and infrastructure, as well as seed assistance to farmer groups across several regions in the Bangka Belitung Islands Province and the Riau Islands Province.
This program aims to improve community agricultural productivity while encouraging village-level economic independence. The assistance includes agricultural tools and machinery, horticultural seeds, and food crop seeds tailored to the characteristics of local land conditions.
PT TIMAH has distributed various forms of assistance to farmer groups, including the Mitra Mandiri Farmer Group in Kundur Village, West Kundur District; the Bina Tailong Farmer Group and the Maulana Bukit Naga Farmer Group in Karimun; and support for hydroponic farming for women’s groups in Setunak.
Additional support was provided to the Kulur Jaya Farmers Association in Central Bangka, including facilities and infrastructure for seed houses, aquaponics, and vermicomposting development in West Bangka Regency. The company also conducted chili cultivation training for the Sinar Baru Farmers Association in South Bangka Regency and onion cultivation training for the Bina Tani Farmer Group in East Belitung Regency.
The company has also collaborated with the Tepus Village Government in Air Gegas District, South Bangka Regency, to optimize post-mining land into productive plantation areas by planting 200 trees, consisting of 100 hybrid coconut trees and 100 Harum Manis mango trees.
Muhammad Azhar, Head of the Mitra Mandiri Farmer Group, said the assistance has greatly helped his group, which previously cultivated land manually.
“Previously, we worked the soil manually using hoes. It was exhausting, inefficient, and time-consuming. With the mini cultivator from PT TIMAH, the process of breaking up and leveling the soil is much faster and the results are better,” Azhar said.
Similarly, Dedi Junaidi from the Bina Tani Farmer Group in Ganse Hamlet said their shallot farming continues to grow with support from PT TIMAH.
“The prospects for shallot farmers are actually very promising, especially now that we are being assisted by PT Timah. We have also received shallot cultivation training that has given us new knowledge, so moving forward we know how to develop shallot farming based on what we have learned,” he said.
Likewise, Amir, Head of the Sinar Baru Farmers Association, said PT TIMAH has guided them in chili farming to support food security and strengthen local agricultural commodities.
“PT Timah has provided business capital support as well as technical assistance and mentoring since 2023. Since then, our harvest yields have increased and the quality has improved,” he said.
