TİKA Enhances Living Conditions for Indonesia’s Traditional Baduy Tribe

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), in collaboration with the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Indonesia, has supported the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants on an 8,000-square-meter plot to improve healthcare and enhance the economic well-being of the Baduy tribe, which continues to uphold its traditional way of life.

The Baduy tribe, comprising 15,000 people in the Lebak Regency of Indonesia’s Banten province, has lived in harmony with nature for centuries, adhering to age-old traditions. Rejecting modern medical treatments, they rely exclusively on herbal and natural remedies to treat ailments. The Baduy people, who shun modern conveniences such as electricity, telephones, and hospitals, reside in bamboo houses and sustain themselves through agriculture and livestock farming.

As part of the project carried out in cooperation with TİKA and the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Indonesia, the cultivation of eight different medicinal and aromatic plants on an 8,000-square-meter plot was encouraged to address the health needs of the Baduy tribe and support their economic development. This initiative not only ensured the sustainable production of plants used in traditional medicine—many of which are scarce in nature—but also created a new source of livelihood for the tribe.

As part of the project, TİKA’s Vice President Dr. Ümit Naci Yorulmaz, along with academics, undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Indonesia, joined Baduy tribe members during the harvest period. Dr. Yorulmaz emphasized that the project holds great significance not only for healthcare but also for economic and cultural sustainability.

With TİKA’s support, the project aims to preserve the traditional knowledge of the Baduy people while promoting a healthier lifestyle and strengthening their economic well-being.