Bringing Peatland Farmers' Knowledge to the Classroom: TJF Launches Illustrated Book from Indragiri Hilir

Jakarta, July 2, 2026 – Long before peatland became a national talking point, coconut farming communities in Indragiri Hilir, Riau, had already been cultivating peat land as their primary livelihood for generations. Yet this practice, resilient as it is, has remained largely undocumented and absent from broader public discourse.

It was from this reality that Tay Juhana Foundation (TJF), together with Perhimpunan Filantropi Indonesia (PFI) and Yayasan Transformasi Bhakti Negeri (TBN Indonesia), organized a talk show titled "Knowledge from the Ground Up: Belajar dari Ketangguhan Lokal" and launched the illustrated book Serial dari Indragiri Hilir: Pak Kelapa dan Tanah Gambut on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at MAXY AI Hub, South Jakarta.

The illustrated book is the result of a collaboration between TJF and Yayasan Bahtera Dwipa Abadi (YBDA), TJF's local partner in Indragiri Hilir. Together, they translated research findings and field stories into a narrative that is accessible across generations, particularly for primary and secondary school-aged children. The book was created to document and share the knowledge that has long lived within the daily practices of peatland farming communities in Indragiri Hilir, yet has rarely been available in a form the wider public can easily reach.

The urgency behind this book extends beyond the local. Tropical peat ecosystems, including those in Indragiri Hilir, have rarely been understood as agricultural land with their own potential and logic. As the pressures of food demand and climate change intensify, peatlands face growing stress, while responsible knowledge of how to manage them remains far from widespread.

Before the discussion began, three child facilitators, Chloe, Caleb, and Dylan, read Serial dari Indragiri Hilir: Pak Kelapa dan Tanah Gambut aloud to the audience. The story of coconut farmers and the peatlands of Indragiri Hilir, quiet and grounded as it is, was warmly received by a room full of practitioners from the philanthropy, education, and environmental sectors. The session continued with a symbolic handover of the book by Nurul Ihsan Fawzi, TJF's Operational Manager, and Indra Maulana, representing YBDA, to Rully Amrullah (Acting Executive Director of PFI), Asep Hemdriana (Director of Education Programs, Dompet Dhuafa), and Dody Armando (Operational Manager of TBN Indonesia), marking the official launch of the book.

To broaden the conversation about the book's relevance within Indonesia's education landscape, TJF brought together three speakers with complementary perspectives: Irsyad Zamjani, Ph.D., Head of the Center for Education Standards and Policy at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen); Dinda Sonaloka, Assistant Manager of Tay Juhana Foundation; and Ahmad Juwaini, Chair of the Board of Dompet Dhuafa. Moderated by Isaac Munandar, CEO and Co-Founder of MAXY Academy, the three discussed how local knowledge, such as the peatland farming practices of Indragiri Hilir, can be woven into classroom learning in line with the Pembelajaran Mendalam (Deep Learning) framework being advanced by Kemendikdasmen.

Irsyad Zamjani affirmed that "...this book is one way of teaching Pembelajaran Mendalam... it's not just about presenting theories, but about making them relate to everyday life through real stories, evident based." Ahmad Juwaini, for his part, offered his first impression: "to me, this feels like a cross between an encyclopedia and a comic book... I think it already speaks to what Generation Alpha and Generation Beta need."

Enriching the discussion, Dinda Sonaloka, Assistant Manager of Tay Juhana Foundation, added: "The knowledge we have is too valuable to keep to ourselves, because knowledge only becomes meaningful when it is shared... this is just the first step in a broader effort to disseminate the research we've been doing."

Closing the session, moderator Isaac Munandar summarized: "[this book bridges many elements] so that [this knowledge] does not stop with the current generation [and is carried forward]... [this knowledge] grows, rather than erasing what already exists, it enriches it, so that the actions that follow are well-grounded... this can be one instrument for communities to become stronger, more empowered, and better able to adapt."

This event is hoped to be part of a broader effort to draw more serious attention to responsible peatland management, while opening space for local knowledge to become part of a more contextual and meaningful learning ecosystem for future generations. Ultimately, national food security needs to be built on the real practices and needs of local communities across Indonesia.

The illustrated book Serial dari Indragiri Hilir: Pak Kelapa dan Tanah Gambut is freely accessible here, and the full talk show recording can be watched here. Follow TJF's latest research, publications, and programs on sustainable agriculture and local knowledge through our Instagram and LinkedIn!

Tay Juhana Foundation (TJF) is a nonprofit organization supporting the sustainable management of suboptimal land, with attention to environmental, economic, and social balance in service of community livelihoods.

For more information:

Instagram: @tayjuhanafoundation

LinkedIn: Tay Juhana Foundation

Website: tayjuhanafoundation.org