Grassroots community seeds sorghum in eastern Indonesia to adapt to climate change

LEMBATA ISLAND, Indonesia — A horde of children from Tapobali village rush out of Wulandoni 4 Junior High School to the sorghum field clasping blades and gathering starchy panicles into woven baskets. “We sell some of the harvest, and the rest is ingredients for baking,” Yudi Fridolin Atawolo, who teaches English at the school, told Mongabay Indonesia. “The proceeds are used to purchase school supplies and distributed to students.” Harvest time at this eastern Indonesia school project is a milestone for Ambrosia Ero and Hendrikus Bua Kilok. Three years ago, the pair helped establish Gerep Blamu Tapobali Wolowutun (Gebetan), a civil society organization of young people in Tapobali bringing practical solutions to safeguard food security in the village. “Ambrosia and I are trying to form a co