Gap of knowledge and interest

(photo: Document of Odesa Indonesia)

I just do discussion with students based on Islamic community, as well as together with two 'ethnographers' called Mr. Toha and Mr. Ujang on Saturday, March 7, 2020. It takes place in Cikadut village, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

I call them ethnographer because they do what the general ethnographers do. For instance, doing observation and participating to gain what the society need. This term initially came from Founder of Odesa Indonesia, Faiz Manshur, when I was asking about ethnography to him.

(photo: Document of Odesa Indonesia)

Here, I don't want to account of the term but to point out summary of our discussion today. The things below or what the both farmers said are found by praxis of ethnography.

Gap in knowledge

Same perception would make us to act. It means we have to sit in a similar idea to make a movement, whatever will we do. We could do nothing wether we can't see a same problem in society or environment. It needs an assertive outlook. What is going on? What we face? Poverty? Illiteracy? Climate change?

(photo: Document of Odesa Indonesia)

This conclusion is triggered by a question of an undergraduate student of health. She said, "What must we do if our program could be accepted by society?"

The first thing is that no exact rule to get it. However, there is a method. It is "approaching".

"We should approach community before talking about our programs," said Ujang.

Hence, program must be derived from that approaching. However, it is not instant. Moringa Program from Odesa Indonesia as an example. It took years. It is because that plant is not familiar in healthy issue. People in Cikadut just believe that plant is prophylactic thing especially to supranatural creatures.

(photo: Document of Odesa Indonesia)

This concept, in Communication Major is known as Diffusion and Innovation Theory from Everett M Rogers (Communication Science student might know). That theory points out some steps to gain the mission of "innovation". Accordingly, stop think instantly. Everything needs time.

Above method is one of prove that we face gap of knowledge. It occurs when our perception is far from reality of community. (Misunderstanding occured Between Communicator and communicant) Consequently, our communication toward people is never effective or meet.

Mr. Ujang gives an example. When the citizens regard that Cimenyan hill must be green by non-fruit trees, people in that hill do not think so. They just think how to serve food for tomorrow, not thinking about ecology like the citizens. It is what I call gap. Villagers thinks about economic issue, while the citizens point out of ecological one.

This problem might be unique, not be found in other regions.

Then to face that gap, Odesa Indonesia opens dialogs especially to farmers, so that could save food as well as nature. The solution is fruit tree. Moreover, Mr. Toha and Ujang ask to farmers what kind of fruit they want to plant. From that dialog then we serve thousands of seedlings for them for free.

(photo: Document of Odesa Indonesia)

However, the step is not only giving seedlings, but also we become pioneer in planting beside beside public streets. Accordingly, we have to become an actor itself to make a movement.

(photo: Document of Odesa Indonesia)