Farm Field Day Together with Soybean Farmers in Jambi
Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB Bogor Agricultural University) continues to promote the innovations it achieved to the community, as its commitment to assist the government to push the welfare of farmers. After mass launching of IPB 3S rice, another innovation created by IPB, the soybean species, has been launched to farmers through the Teknologi Budidaya Jenuh Air (BJA Cultivation Technology of Saturated Water). The launching program took place in Simpang village, Berbak District, East Tanjung Jabung Regency, Jambi Province.
After planting, it is time to harvest arrived and it is scheduled to be carried out on 5-6 September 2016. The harvesting ceremony was arranged in three consecutive programs, namely the Farm Field Day, on 5 September 2016; the signing of Memorandum of Understanding for the agricultural development for Jambi Province between the Jambi Provincial Authority and IPB; and the third program was the soybean harvest utilizing BJA technology.
The Farm Field Day was held on Monday, 5 September 2016. It was attended by Rector of IPB, Prof. Herry Suhardiyanto; accompanied by the Director of The Institute of Research and Community Empowerment of IPB (LPPM), Dr. Prastowo; Director of PT. Bogor Life Science and Technology (BLST), Dr. Meika Syahbana Rusli; and Head of the Secretariat of the Rector, Dr. Yonvitner. The Jambi Provincial Authority was represented by the Head of Agricultural Services of Prov Jambi, Agricultural Services of Tanjung Jabung Timur, 2nd Assistant for Economics of Tanjung Jabung Timur. All the farmers working for soybeans accompanied by all the non-commissioned officers of Berbak District involved in the Farm Field Day program.
The agenda of Farm Field Day was the harvesting of soybean species utilizing BJA technique. The newly introduced species has been cultivated in Jambi by jambi’ farmers together with IPB students and was led by Chandra SP, M.Sc. Such cooperative works had strengthened business communication of farmers for sustainability of soybean BJA. The Farm Field Day program has become the forum for them share information, and was concluded by field observation and discussion
To start the discussion session, Rector motivated farmers to continue planting soybeans. There is potential, however, for some additional soybean plantings, as its yields will substitute imported ones. In addition profitability from soybeans will attract farmers to develop soybeans. Rector stated that the soybean farmers are actually the food hero of Indonesia, they should be respected and fully supported by the government. The early stage of soybean areas for cultivation will be about 500 hectares, comprising 400 hectares for yellow soybean and 100 hectares for black soybean.
The farmer communities expected that the government continues to assist them by providing transportation, and firm of sales and price policies. In addition, for irrigation they need addition floodgates, storage technologies, and downstream soybeans. According to Prof. Dr. Memen Surahman, of the Faculty of Agriculture of IPB, if more than five thousand hectares fields available those areas will produce soybeans more than needed. Farmers really hope the government will protect them from uncontrollable farmers’ markets fluctuations, so farmers remain excited and national soybean self-sufficiency can be achieved. (Wied)
