PMA's passion is that of a farmer. It's not lip-service or image-branding, but that passion is at the core of each PMA program. The development of the natural and human resources has been PMA's key to success in expanding organic farming. One of these success stories belongs to an organic farmer community in Bali.
Bali is one of God's most beautiful and imaginative creations. Nature, culture and religion merge uniquely and harmoniously in Bali. So it's no coincidence that PMA began an organic farming effort here. True to our motto of 'collaborating with nature™', there's nothing half-hearted about our development there — for Bali, we focus on one of the region's natural bounties: cashews, but this time cultivated organically.
It began in 2006 with three farming groups who were already in conversion status, a period in which the land and the farmers adjust to the organic methods. At first it was quite difficult to instill organic farming principles in those farmers, especially with their status as 'conversion farmers', which required a minimal of one year before they could officially be considered as organic farmers. A strong commitment to not contaminate the land with chemicals should be a top motivation to become an organic farm group. There were a lot of ups and downs over the years, as well as various tempting offers made to this group.
But PMA and our organic farmers persevered and as of 2016, as registered by IMO Swiss (an organization that issues organic certifications), PMA has a total of nine Organic Cashews Subak Abian in Bali ('subak abian' is the Balinese term for an organization of farmers who cultivate on dry land). These nine Subak Abians have total of 493 farming families with a total cultivation area of 750 hectares — with the potential to produce ±400 tons of crop. Of course, all of this is further validated by the EU & NOP (National Organic Program) Organic Certificate issued by IMO. In the future PMA will continue to expand our organic cashew farming, from the number of farmers, cultivation area, as well as the human resource.
PMA's organic farming development has been proven successful. This also results in the trust that the local Balinese government has placed in PMA's performance. They have shown this through financial aids for development and facilities to support organic farmers. The government is confident that PMA's passion is to build up farmers, not to exploit them.
PMA instills in the farmers that the ongoing partnership involves more than just the economic principles of supply-and-demand, but also it concerns the inseparable issues of environment, health and sustainability — and all of this partnership is based on mutual trust. PMA is highly committed to raise the level of organic farmers one step higher than regular farmers, because of their knowledge and the organic 'spirit' that they possess. What PMA has been able to accomplish so far can only be reached by organic farming.