Discova: Announcing a New Project to Support Local Farmers in Bali
Discova has a longstanding commitment to generate alternative income for the communities they work with. It’s part of their broader objectives to ensure that tourism’s impact on communities is mutually beneficial.
With the ongoing pandemic resulting in reduced visitors to these areas, Discova have had to find other ways to assist these communities.
That’s why, when the attention was brought to an irrigation issue in the village of Manggis, Bali, Discova was eager to help in any way possible. The result has been a blossoming relationship looking ahead to the future as they help to develop an organic farming project in cooperation with the villagers.
Watch the video below for an overview of the project.
Discova is launching a new farm-to-table project in Bali to provide additional income for local farmers. This directly helps communities impacted by the lack of international tourists resulting from the COVID travel restrictions introduced globally.
Peter Christiansen, Indonesia Country Manager for Discova, said:
“We are very excited to help the farmers of our communities generate additional income while also supporting Bali’s growing organic farming movement. We begin our first phase with 22 farmers and 3 hectares of land. I have been moved by the enthusiasm and passion of the local people to move away from traditional farming. They are focused on working towards a healthier environment, but also want to ensure healthier diets, especially for their kids”
Discova is partnering with Bali Rare Paduraksa (BRP), an independent association which educates farmers on organic and sustainable farming in Bali. The partnership sees Discova provide finance for workshops, irrigation infrastructures, rice seeds and vegetable plants. The project supports farmers from a village in Karangasem regency (East Bali).
Discova is leveraging its long-established relationships with local and nationwide restaurants and hotels including Flight Centre-owned Cross hotels to help farmers sell their organic produce directly.
Evan Burns, Area General Manager Bali for Cross Hotels & Resorts, said:
“I am always looking for farm-fresh vegetables and sustainably-grown ingredients for our hotels restaurants, so I am very excited by this new farm-to-table project. I am also proud to be working with Discova Indonesia to promote a more responsible, traceable, and transparent farming in Bali.”
Discova’s initiative is part of its long-standing commitment to a more sustainable tourism, which directly benefits local communities where it operates.
Peter Christiansen, Indonesia Country Manager for Discova, said:
“This farm-to-table project is a long-term initiative and Discova have appointed a dedicated team to look after this. We are helping community farmers convert from conventional farming using chemical intervention, to more sustainable, organic methods. When international tourism returns to Bali, we will help our communities build their own businesses providing cooking classes, trekking, cycling experiences to our travellers, generating direct income for locals.”
Discova aims to collaborate with educational travel agents and institutions to bring students into the village to assist the local village to build irrigation systems for their crops and help improve their income by increasing the quality and quantity of their crop through needs analysis and study of the supply chain. The Discova Educational Travel Team also work directly with five other communities in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam since 2007.
For more information contact educationaltravel@discova.com
Read the full blogpost here
About Discova
Discova is a global destination management specialist operating in 14 markets in Asia and Latin America. We offer tailored B2B in-destination services for tour operators and travel agents. With 95% of our people being locals and having grown up in the communities we operate in, we are motivated by a deep commitment to sustainable livelihoods while preserving the beauty of these places we call home. Discova is part of the Flight Centre Travel Group. For more information, please go to discova.com
