Fransiska and Wonder Farm: Driving Organic Farming in South Lampung

The article was originally written by Febriana Tambunan from the Indonesia Organic Alliance.

Amidst the onslaught of climate change, Fransiska Triwati, the founder of Wonder Farm in Way Gelam Village, Candipuro District, South Lampung, continues to strive to develop organic farming. Starting from a personal need to find healthy food when her mother-in-law suffered from kidney disease, Fransiska began organic farming in 2009. From a small scale for family consumption, she then shared her harvest with neighbours and friends who had similar needs. Unexpectedly, the demand grew and evolved into a bigger mission: providing healthy food for the everyone in the area and building a community of organic farmers.

Climate Change Impacts and Challenges in Organic Farming

Climate change is the biggest challenge Fransiska now faces. She has observed significant changes in her organic farm where rains and floods are more frequent, and droughts last longer. “In the past, flooding only happened once every five years, but now like this month, it can happen three times a month. In the last two years, my pond went completely dry,” she says. These extreme changes in weather patterns threaten the sustainability of organic farming. The fear of running out of water sources is also a motivation for Fransiska to build a community that is more environmentally conscious and adaptive to climate change.

In the midst of climate change, Fransiska sees this as a bigger challenge for farmers. Despite experiencing the same impact, in fact, the mindset of farmers who have not yet reached climate change needs to be addressed. Currently, there is still a strong mindset that is very dependent on government assistance.

“It takes time and great effort to change their mindset to be more independent in organic farming, let alone understanding climate change,” Fransiska said.

Wonder Farm is an organic initiative Fransiska manages while partnering with other five female farmers. Farmers’ consistency is still a challenge to supply products amidst the increasing demand because consumer awareness is also rising. Nevertheless, the availability of products from organic farmers has not been consistent enough.  To overcome this, she takes an intensive approach by contacting small groups, building relationships, and becoming a discussion partner for farmers, especially mothers, so that they remain enthusiastic in the organic farming movement and its benefits. Her own partners are mothers who grow organic vegetables in their family gardens.

Mobilising Consumers to Share and Care

One of the unique initiatives developed at Wonder Farm is to invite consumers to participate in the movement of sharing through organic farming. Fransiska formed a charity community that supports cancer shelters by providing organic vegetables for children and adults undergoing treatment. “It’s nice to be able to share with them,” she said. The program not only provides health benefits for the recipients, but also strengthens the relationship between farmers and consumers.

“We complement each other with consumers,” he says, explaining how interactions with customers are not only limited to buying and selling transactions, but also a space for sharing and education about organic farming. The concept of Community Support Agriculture that she promotes has a strong impact on a special segment, namely those with a history of serious illness and survivors. Consumers buy more to donate to cancer foundations. Often his partner farmers also overestimate the harvest to share some portion to the foundation.

Forming a Larger Movement: APOL and PGS Unit PAMOR Lampung

Fransiska’s commitment to organic farming grew stronger with the formation of the Lampung Organic Farmers Association (APOL) in 2024. APOL now has 102 members from representatives of farmer organisations, local government, academics, and various other stakeholders. The organisation serves as a space for discussion and collaboration to develop organic farming in Lampung more broadly. She initiated APOL to get more people involved in climate-conscious action through organic farming. Last January 2025, APOL held an initial meeting to discuss the impact of climate change on organic farming.

“We invite anyone who wants to join, more people will hopefully make the movement bigger.” She hopes that in the future APOL can grow to access a wider organic market together.

In addition, in 2021, she also initiated a Participatory Guarantee System called Unit PAMOR Lampung, a participatory guarantee system that ensures the quality of organic products through active community involvement.

“Encouraging PGS requires consistency and support. I myself can move because there is support from consumers, but its sustainability still requires a solid system,” she explained.

Women’s Role in Organic Farming

For Fransiska, women have a central role in organic farming.

“Women are responsible for educating children, and that is very important. Organic farming gives them the opportunity to be empowered, provide healthy food for their families, and increase their income,” she explains.

She believes that the right community will help women develop and get stronger in managing organic farming.

Vision and Hope for the Future

Fransiska hopes that organic farming can be more developed and healthy food is more accessible to all. She wants to continue to encourage the strengthening of PGS and APOL so that more farmers switch to the organic system.

“Eating is to provide livelihood. Agriculture is not just planting, but planting goodness for humans and returning goodness to nature in accordance with God’s will. Because this earth does not belong to us, but to God,” she concluded with conviction.

With her dedication and passion, Fransiska has driven meaningful initiatives in organic farming in Lampung. She is not only growing healthy food, but also planting hope for farmers, consumers, and future generations. Wonder Farm is now not just a farm, but also a symbol of struggle, resilience, and care for the environment and surrounding community.