Jiwanta
Through empowering communities to repurpose palm oil industry by-products into biodegradable bricks embedded with nutrient-rich seeds. These bricks serve as the foundation for sustainable garden beds, allowing users to grow their own fresh, nutritious produce while reducing waste. The kit includes palm oil kernels sourced from industrial waste, reusable molds, and seed packets, with instructions on using everyday household items as binding agents. By turning waste into a valuable resource, Jiwanta promotes local food security and self-sufficiency.
Final Design Project
Context & Problem Field
The project is set in rural Kalimantan, Indonesia, a region dominated by extensive palm oil plantations. Despite being crucial contributors to the palm oil industry, farmers depend heavily on multinational corporations (MNCs), resulting in low wages and lacking access to nutritious food. This situation has led to significant malnutrition, mainly affecting children and vulnerable individuals.
The poor economic conditions of farmers is caused mainly by the expansion of monoculture palm oil plantations, which caused deforestation, soil degradation, and reduced food production diversity. Additionally, large amounts of waste are generated from palm oil production. These interconnected challenges form the basis of the problem field that the project aims to address.
Design Concept & Framework
The main challenge is to create a sustainable solution that addresses both the economic and nutritional needs of the farmers in rural Kalimantan. The objective is to help these farmers economically by creating alternative income streams. Additionally, improving local food production is crucial for solving malnutrition in the community. To achieve this, it is important to take advantage of palm oil by-products effectively, turning waste into value-added products that can generate revenue. The solution must also contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources.
UN Sustainable Developmental Goals
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Smallholder farmers in rural Kalimantan face economic distress and lack of access to nutritious food due to dependency on MNCs and low income. The expansion of monoculture palm oil plantations has reduced food diversity, contributing to malnutrition. These challenges are aligned with the goal of ensuring nutrition security.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production)
Palm oil production in Kalimantan generates large amounts of agricultural waste. The reliance on monoculture has also led to soil degradation. Addressing these problems aligns with the need to promote sustainable waste reuse and reduce environmental impact, supporting responsible production
Design Concept & Framework
The project transforms palm oil by-products into biodegradable bricks that contains nutrient-rich seeds to address malnutrition and economic challenges for smallholder farmers. A DIY kit version enables individuals to produce these bricks at home, creating edible raised beds that promote local food production and reduce dependency on multinational companies. Produced by local community , the bricks offer an additional income stream. Workshops and DIY kit instructions enhance production skills , management, and cultivation.
Purpose of Design
Function & Objectives
The project produces biodegradable bricks from palm oil by-products, containjng seeds, which can be used as both sustainable construction materials and a ingredient for growing crops. The design outcome, now available as a DIY kit, allows individuals and communities to create their own edible structures, such as raised beds, promoting waste reduction and local food production. The kit encourages economic empowerment by enabling users to produce and sell bio-bricks. It includes step-by-step instructions, materials, and workshops for production, and cultivation.
How Does It Work?
Kit Contents
The DIY kit includes materials such as plant fibers (or alternative to palm oil by-products), biodegradable binders, seed packets (e.g., legumes, leafy greens), and reusable molds.
Production of Bio-Bricks
Users combine the provided materials with water and binders, using the mold to shape biodegradable bricks embedded with seeds. This process is explained step-by-step in the kit's instructions.
Building Edible Structures
Once dried, the bio-bricks can be used to build raised garden beds or gardening walls, promoting sustainable building alongside local food production.
Cultivation of Crops:
The seeds embedded within the bricks germinate as the bricks biodegrade, producing nutrient-rich crops.
Revenue Generation
Excess crops or additional bio-bricks produced can be sold, allowing individuals or communities to generate revenue..
Workshops and Skill Development
The kit includes access to online workshops and steps on bio-brick production, sustainable agriculture, and cooperative management, improving the user’s skills.
Circular Economy and Sustainability
The kit promotes the conversion of waste into valuable products, fostering local self-sufficiency and sustainability through eco-friendly practices.
Target Users
Smallholder Farmers: The primary users who will directly participate in the production, cultivation, and management of the bio-seed embedded bricks.
Stakeholders
Local Governments: Provide policy support, infrastructure, and funding to aid the project.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Assist with expertise, funding, and training on sustainable practices and community empowerment.
Community Groups: Facilitate workshops, co-ops, and collective farming activities.
Private Sector Partners: Support market development and provide resources for the production and sale of bio-bricks.
Target Users & Stakeholders
Location Condition
Situated in rural Kalimantan, Indonesia, the project targets smallholder farmers facing economic distress due to dependency on multinational corporations for palm oil production.
Conditions of Place and Influence on Design:
Monoculture and Deforestation: The widespread cultivation of monoculture palm oil has resulted in deforestation and reduced food diversity. The lack of diverse agricultural practices has led to significant soil degradation and compromised local food security.
Economic Dependency: Smallholder farmers rely on low and uncertain income from selling palm oil to multinational corporations, which limits their ability to access nutritious food.
Environmental Degradation: The agricultural waste from palm oil production, such as empty fruit bunches, is often thrown away, contributing to environmental issues. The design uses this waste to produce biodegradable bricks, transforming an waste into a resource that supports local agriculture.
