As Fisheries Business Pioneers, Himakua IPB Educate on Natural Feed Culture in a Village

Aquaculture Student Association (Himakua) IPB University held Aquaculture Bina Desa (Akuabindes) on the topic of the natural feed culturing of Daphnia sp. to a group of fish farmers in Sukadamai Village, Dramaga district, Bogor, on Saturday (20/4). Natural feed is a specialized microorganism that can be cultured as feed for fish fry.

The Social and Environmental Division (Sosling) Himakua IPB initiated the program with a discussion beforehand with residents who are guided by the lecturer of the Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences IPB, Ahmad Fauzi Ichsan, S.Pi, M.Sc. and continued with the preparation and distribution of the culturing vessel for the Daphnia sp.

The Chief Executive, Ferian Afrinaldo said he wanted to empower local people to breed natural feed himself to avoid dependence on the commercial use of artificial feed. “Culture and treatment of Daphnia sp. Are relatively easy to do, costs are not that large, and are relatively high in nutrition. This step is expected to answer the community’s complaints on the costly commercial artificial feed for fish fry, “he said.

Akuabindes 2019 is targeted to empower pioneering businesses in breeding tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) independently. This event is the second event after the release of 340 third generation tilapia broodstock nirvana in a local pond in Sukadamai belonging to residents of the village.

Nadi, one of the active farmers in Sukadamai, expressed his gratitude for this program. “The farmers here have also been expecting this education from the university, this is because the most burdening part in fish breeding is the aquaculture feed. If we keep depending on artificial feed this will burden the farmers. Besides it being costly, it will also lead us to become dependent towards imported feed, “he said. (AVR)