Over the course of two years, we collaborated with the artisanal salt farming community in Karangasem, Bali as part of the Mekarya program initiated by the William & Lily Foundation. Our approach involved providing tailored capacity building to rural community groups in Bali, emphasizing intimacy, contextuality, and simplicity, and offering mentoring support to facilitate the implementation of the acquired knowledge. This included conducting detailed mapping exercises and engaging in extensive discussions with cooperative administrators and members to develop a suitable curriculum.
We have identified five key areas for improvement to support the Amed salt farming community. These areas include team management, adding unique value to the product, enhancing production systems, managing finances, and improving marketing and partnerships. Additionally, we are focused on promoting inclusiveness and regeneration by encouraging the involvement of young people and women in the business activities of the salt farmer groups. Our main objective is to assist these groups in producing high-quality products that meet hygiene and traceability standards, understanding market needs, establishing partnerships, and managing finances in a transparent and accountable manner. This program aims to raise awareness and encourage participation from various stakeholders in preserving Amed salt. The program has been operational for two years and targets the benefit of at least 34 farmers who are members of the Amed salt-producing cooperative. We provide training and mentoring to the cooperative administrators to enhance their capacity.
In order to achieve our goals, we have selected experts in relevant fields to present the learning topics to participants in the program. We carefully consider the community’s profile and the coaching process before recruiting experts, ensuring their willingness to work with the community throughout the coaching process.
Introducing new concepts to communities, especially in rural areas, cannot be rushed. We believe that two years is not enough to achieve significant results. Many initiatives require a longer process. However, the inspiring stories of change in this community are quite encouraging. Community members are now able to effectively communicate about their products, understand how and where to sell them, identify potential partners, and involve every part of the community in strategic processes. Equally important is the presence of enthusiastic young individuals who have a strong sense of ownership for Amed salt.
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