Gastro Forestry Project : Cultivating Wild Food, Health, and Nature Through Rural Social Creativity

In rural Indonesia (Cilangkap - Manonjaya, West Java), communities face multiple challenges: limited access to nutritious food, declining ecosystems, and the absence of safe recreational spaces. The Gastro Forestry Project was born to respond to these issues by integrating sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and rural sports into one holistic approach. By combining agroforestry practices with activities such as trail running, agroforestry trekking, and gravel biking, the project creates a dynamic model that restores nature while strengthening community well-being.

Agroforestry ensures that farmers can grow food crops alongside trees and medicinal plants, supporting biodiversity, improving soil quality, and securing harvests for families. At the same time, rural sports encourage healthier lifestyles, foster youth engagement, and build stronger community ties. This unique synergy makes Gastro Forestry Project not only a program for food and environment, but also a movement for social creativity and collective resilience.

The project directly contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It advances SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by ensuring food security, SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) through active living, SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) by restoring degraded lands and protecting biodiversity, and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by creating new livelihood opportunities for rural communities.

Ultimately, Gastroforestry is not just about growing food,it is about growing futures. By empowering smallholder farmers, mobilizing youth, and strengthening ecosystems, the project envisions thriving rural communities that contribute to global sustainability while inspiring changemakers across the world.

By

Repa Kustipia