OVOC International IPB University Participants Learn About Community Empowerment Models in West Bandung
The One Village One CEO (OVOC) International program at IPB University provides participants from various countries with hands on experience in implementing community empowerment based on villages’ flagship commodities.
In West Bandung, the participants, who are students in the Summer Course on Forest Management from countries including Malaysia, Sudan, The Gambia, and Turkey, learned about agribusiness and agroforestry management, covering everything from cultivation to post harvest processing.
Muhammad Rizki Hadi Pratama, CEO of OVOC West Bandung, began the session by providing participants with an overview of village potential development through collaboration between the community, business actors, and various stakeholders to create a sustainable business system.
Participants continued their field activities on land owned by Muhammad Taufik, a Local Champion of OVOC West Bandung. At this location, participants took part in an edamame harvest while observing the use of an automatic weather station (AWS), an Internet of Things based device used to monitor environmental conditions on the land to support cultivation activities.
The visit continued to the post harvest warehouse. There, participants observed firsthand the handling process for various crops, such as tomatoes, edamame, chili peppers, bell peppers, and cabbage. Participants also had the opportunity to practice packaging the harvested produce according to the standards applied before the products are marketed.
“In this warehouse, we use an ozonation system, a device that utilizes ozone (O₃) containing gas or water, to clean and preserve the harvested produce, ensuring product quality and hygiene are maintained before packaging,” explained Taufik as he introduced the post harvest technology at his warehouse.
The group also visited a greenhouse to learn about ornamental plant cultivation techniques and experience harvesting roses firsthand.
“Through the activities we participated in, I learned a lot about local culture and community development, particularly in agroforestry and agriculture, which I had never studied in Malaysia,” said Mirzan, a participant from Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Through this visit, participants not only gained insights into the management of agricultural commodities from upstream to downstream but also witnessed firsthand how the OVOC program in West Bandung successfully integrates innovation, technology, and community empowerment to support sustainable rural economic development. (*/Rz) (IAAS/DAM)
