Seeds of Boeing program is helping farmers on the island of Bali in Indonesia By Jay Krishnan and photos by Bob Ferguson Boeing photographer Bob Ferguson recently accompanied Skip Boyce, president, Boeing Southeast Asia, on a trip to Indonesia for a firsthand look at one of the company’s many Global Corporate Citizenship programs. On the island of Bali, they visited with local farmers who are learning to become more self-sufficient and better at their trade—with Boeing’s help. Of the 17,000 islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago, Bali is perhaps the best-known, an island paradise that conjures up images of smoldering volcanoes, rice-terraced mountains, paddy fields and a vivid Balinese Hindu culture. And, of course, there are those inviting, postcard-perfect Bali beaches where the tourists come to soak up the sun. But Ketut Suratna sees an entirely different side of Bali life. He’s a farmer, a resident of Bangli, one of Bali’s poorer districts tourists usually don’t visit. He became a farmer out of necessity—to feed his family and eke out a meager living. “Many of the villagers here depend on farming for a living,” Suratna explained as he showed a small group of visitors the farm plot where he toils daily to produce crops such as eggplant and chili under hot and humid conditions. “Farmers like me have been struggling in recent years because we cannot afford to buy seeds,” Suratna said. “The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is also costly and poses health risks to us.” That’s where Boeing is helping, through its PHOTO: Farmers in Bali collect sweet basil seeds. 34 Frontiers February 2014
Frontiers February 2014 Issue
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