Training Kumbe Farmers in Seed Production, TEP Presents the ‘Patriot IPB’ Chili Variety

The IPB University Patriot Expedition Team (TEP) symbolically handed over chili seedlings of the Bonita IPB, Neno Tavi IPB, and Patriot IPB varieties to farmers in Kumbe Village, Malind District, Merauke Regency, South Papua. The handover was conducted by TEP 9 Chair Prof Muhamad Syukur and TEP 8 Chair Dr Zulfikar Damaralam Sahid to Kumbe Village Chief Edoardus A. Basik Basik, who represented the farmers.

The handover took place during a Training and Technical Guidance (Bimtek) session on Chili Cultivation and Seed Production in Kumbe Village in early October. The event aimed to equip farmers with cultivation knowledge while promoting self sufficiency in chili seeds in Malind District.

“Bonita IPB is a non hybrid red cayenne pepper variety with a yield of up to 16 metric tons per hectare and is virus-tolerant,” said Prof Muhamad Syukur, Chair of the Bonita IPB Innovation Team.

According to him, Bonita IPB is an ORI-type variety and can adapt to both lowland and highland areas. Because it is non hybrid, farmers can propagate the seeds themselves.

Dr Zulfikar Damaralam Sahid added that Neno Tavi IPB is a non-hybrid curly chili variety with a yield of up to 20 metric tons per hectare and is virus-resistant.

“Farmers can also propagate Neno Tavi seeds on their own because this variety is not a hybrid,” said Dr Zulfikar, who is also a member of the Neno Tavi IPB innovation team.

In addition to Bonita IPB and Neno Tavi IPB, farmers also received Patriot IPB, a hybrid red cayenne pepper variety. Patriot IPB is a new variety named specifically as a token of the team’s dedication to the Patriot Expedition Program. This variety has just begun to be tested in transmigration areas.

“Hopefully, Patriot IPB will adapt well to the transmigration areas,” said Prof Syukur.

He hopes that the distribution of these varieties will serve as a first step for farmers in Malind District to produce chili seeds independently. Malind District is one of the areas with extensive chili cultivation in Merauke Regency.

“Hopefully, Bonita IPB and Neno Tavi IPB will adapt well in Merauke,” said Prof Syukur.

The training was attended by 40 participants, consisting of farmers, field agricultural extension workers (PPL), village officials, and members of farmers’ groups. The event was also attended by the Head of the Transmigration Division, Alhari Rimbo, ST, The Head of Kumbe District, Chanifudin, a representative of the Chief of the Merauke Regency Office of Food Security, Horticulture, and Plantations; and Langgeng Muhono, SP, MP, Associate Expert in Plant Seed Supervision at the Directorate General of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture. (*/Rz) (IAAS/WSG)