As Farmers Dwindle, Who Will Grow Our Food?

Behind the convenience of warm food served on our dining tables lies a dark reality that threatens the nation's future. Farmers, the backbone feeding millions of mouths every day, live trapped in deep uncertainty. They must fight alone against extreme weather, skyrocketing fertilizer prices, pest infestations, and soaring labor costs, with no guarantee that their harvest will sell at a fair price. Ironically, this life-sustaining sector is increasingly abandoned because it no longer promises a decent livelihood. The majority of remaining farmers are now elderly, while the younger generation chooses to move to cities in search of other jobs. Farming is now equated with poverty, fruitless hard work, and outdated technology, leaving the future of our food sovereignty hanging in the balance.

The decline of our agricultural sector is not just a matter of seasonal crop failures, but the result of systemic failures that have persisted for decades. Farmers are forced to work in the dark without adequate market information. They do not know the best time to sell, the prices in other regions, or the specific quality consumers actually need, leaving their bargaining power at its lowest point when facing the market. So far, interventions have often been limited to temporary aid, such as free seeds or fertilizer, which do not address the root structural problems. Without a supporting ecosystem that teaches cost management, crop processing, and fair market access, farmers will remain trapped in dependency. An inefficient distribution chain continues to slash farmers' profits while driving up prices for consumers.

In the midst of this crisis, we possess an extraordinary social asset that has long been overlooked: the mosque. As an institution at the heart of the community, the mosque holds an emotional closeness and a high level of trust that other formal institutions lack. The mosque is not merely a place for ritual worship, but a gathering space for citizens ready to be mobilized for social and economic change. On the other hand, the potential for agricultural regeneration is no longer limited to physical labor in the fields. Through the use of information technology, young people can be actively involved without ever having to hold a hoe. They can drive production data processing, packaging design, market demand mapping, and modern logistics management, transforming the face of agriculture into a dynamic and promising sector.

Bergema comes with a revolutionary approach that positions the mosque as a community node or hub. We do not turn mosques into commercial markets; instead, we utilize their supporting facilities—such as halls, terraces, or meeting rooms—as centers for learning and farmer consolidation. This is where the transfer of knowledge regarding soil health, seed quality, and financial management takes place independently and with dignity. Through this movement model, Bergema builds an ecosystem that connects local potential with real needs. We believe that solutions to food issues must grow from the ground up, supported by the trust among residents that has long been established within the mosque environment. With this approach, farming is no longer an isolated endeavor, but a well-organized collective movement.

The concrete solution offered by Bergema is to build an integrated network of nodes that directly connects producers and consumers. Nodes in agricultural areas are tasked with recording real-time production data, harvest schedules, and commodity quality. Meanwhile, nodes in urban areas gather food demand data from households, restaurants, caterers, and local markets. When these two datasets are brought together through a simple technology platform, inefficient distribution chains can be significantly cut. Farmers can plant with market certainty, while consumers receive a supply of fresh food at fair prices. Here, technology serves as a tool for recording and coordination, ensuring that control and decision-making remain entirely in the hands of the community.

Through the ecosystem built by Bergema, we will witness the birth of a new generation of empowered and independent farmers. Farmers will no longer merely survive; they will be able to cover production costs, plan their next planting season with peace of mind, and sustainably improve their families' well-being. Farming will once again be viewed as an honorable and promising profession for young people. On a broader scale, the nation's food security will no longer be vulnerable to global shocks or distribution disruptions. With a strong, independent, and interconnected community network from mosque to mosque, we are building a solid foundation for food defense from the grassroots level. Safeguarding farmers is safeguarding life, and through this movement, we are saving the future of Indonesia's food.