A Sneak Peek into Ciliwung Community Urban Farming Initiative
23 April 2016 18:28 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Residents on the banks of the Ciliwung River in Ancol Sub-District in North Jakarta are celebrating the World's Earth Day on April 22 every year, by working together to clean up the river, teaching and sorting out rubbish and recyclables, educating residents to properly prepare compost, as well as the basics behind the utilisation of vertical spaces to grow vegetables - which these days, are often known as urban farming, explained the Head of the Children of Ciliwung Community, Salijan.
A residents of Ancol, Endang said that she is much happier that vegetables such as spinach and watercress - which she planted herself - are starting to sprout. "And I only began planting last week!," she said to Tempo on Saturday, April 23, 2016.
Residents spent the entire day - beginning at 07.00 local time - to patrol the river to clear it out of trash - beginning from the Ciliwung's banks near Jakarta Kota Station towards the levees near the fish market on Jl. Kerapu. Residents from community unit (RW) 01 - including locals from neighbourhood unit (RT) 04, 07, 08, and 09 took part in the process. The event was organised by members of the Children of Ciliwung Community, as well as the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).
Members of North Jakarta's Sanitation Department also took part in the efforts. In their instantly recognizable orange uniform, the used plastic dinghies to help clear our rubbish from the notoriously polluted river, while local residents used wooden boats to patrol the 2 kilometres stretch of river where the event was focusing on.
"The majority of litter were plastic bags and bottles," said Salijan, who said that similar activities were done every month to increase awareness among local residents that the Ciliwung River needs the attention of everyone, not just the government.
"They need to be directed - otherwise they won't know where to even begin," he finished.
REZKI ALVIONITASARI