Collaborating with the Class IIA Bogor Penitentiary, IPB University Students Strengthen Agripreneur Skills for Inmates
Students from IPB University are engaging in the Community Service Student Creativity Program (PKM-PM) for inmates at the Class IIA Paledang Penitentiary in Bogor City, West Java. The community service program focuses on strengthening agripreneur skills for 15 inmates who have served half of their sentences.
The program, titled 'Character Development and Independence for Inmates through Strengthening Agripreneur Skills as an Effort to Improve Quality of Life in Prison and Post-Punishment'. The activity will take place from July to October 2023.
"In this activity, we present materials related to the program's implementation during the four-month period, aiming for the inmates to fully participate. The community service activities are carried out using a learning-by-doing method, consisting of two parts: learning and action," said Kania Siti Al-fathi, the project leader.
A student from the Department of Forest Management, Faculty of Forestry and Environment (Fahutan) explained that learning is an activity to enhance knowledge and understanding, taking into account the participants' characteristics. On the other hand, action involves learning strategies through the practical implementation of the presented materials and topics.
"The learning activities include presentations on hydroponics, food processing, and entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, the action part involves hands-on practices related to hydroponic vegetable cultivation and the production of organic liquid fertilizer or ecoenzymes, food processing through making salad rolls, and packaging practices as one of the entrepreneurial techniques," she added.
Kania expressed her hope that the implementation of PKM-PM would increase the inmates' knowledge of entrepreneurship and their skills in managing food production results and utilizing organic waste. Additionally, it would enable the inmates to maximize their self-exploration during their time in prison through productive activities.
The event was attended by Sopian Amd IP, SH MH (Head of Class IIA Bogor Penitentiary); Murbandini BcIP, SH, MH (Head of Work Activity Section); Fitta Setiajiati, SHut, MSi, as the academic advisor. The PKM-PM student group members included Aditya Febyuan (Department of Forest Management), Cindy Larasati (Department of Biochemistry), Dafa Aswangga Putra (School of Business), and Novita Dwi Fitriani (Department of Food Science and Technology). (*/Rz) (IAAS/DSR)
