Impactful Campus, IPB University’s Innovation ‘FONi’ Now Available in 20 Locations
IPB University’s innovation, the Fertigator Otomatis Nirdaya (FONi), has now been implemented in more than 20 locations in Indonesia and even in Sabah, Malaysia. FONi is an automatic irrigation and fertilization system that does not require electricity, developed by Prof Budi Indra Setiawan from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
“FONi was developed as an innovative fertigation system capable of simultaneously and accurately providing water and nutrients to plants according to their needs,” explained Prof Chusnul Arif, Professor of Irrigation Engineering at IPB University, during the FONi Nusantara 2025 Seminar held online via Zoom Meeting (11/8).
He added, “FONi is able to accurately meet the water needs of plants without requiring electricity. The system works automatically using a water level control valve.”
The advantages of FONi are the use of locally made components, ease of assembly and portability. In addition, its efficiency is close to 100 percent because the water provided is only used for plant needs without significant loss.
“Farmers no longer need to manually water or irrigate plants daily. I once left the plants unattended for several days, and they continued to grow well because the system can independently regulate water supply,” he said.
Its implementation spans various agricultural sectors: forestry seedling cultivation at PT Arara Abadi (Riau), vegetable farming in Tasikmalaya, and hydroponic systems at the Irrigation Engineering Center in Bekasi. In Sabah, Malaysia, the technology is used for rice and horticulture.
“FONi has become part of the modern agricultural movement that is efficient, powerful, and sustainable. We hope that more parties will implement it in their respective regions,” said Prof Chusnul.
One of the overseas applications was carried out by Ts Dr Muhamad Askari, a lecturer at the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Malaysia Sabah, who was also a speaker at the 2025 FONi Nusantara Seminar. He explained that agricultural land in his region faces unique challenges: it is often flooded during the rainy season and cracked during the dry season.
“We see that this problem can be overcome by FONi, because water is always available. Currently, because we are consistent, this system is working well,” he said.
One form of adaptation of this technology can also be seen in HidroFONi, a hydroponic cultivation system without electricity developed by the Irrigation Engineering Center, Directorate General of Water Resources.
According to Andri, a staff member at the Irrigation Engineering Center, this technology is capable of automatically regulating water flow and plant nutrients without intensive supervision. “Before using this system, if the electricity went out on weekends, the plants would often turn yellow. Now, even though there is no supervision on Saturdays and Sundays, the plants remain fresh,” he said.
In closing, Prof Budi Indra Setiawan reminded that the application of technology must be accompanied by guidance until the community is truly independent. “We must not install the system before we are sure that the community is able to apply it properly,” he said.
According to him, FONi technology is designed so that anyone can assemble, install, and operate the system independently. “We created this technology for everyone, even mothers in prisons can use it,” he said. Prof Budi hopes that the spread of FONi technology will become more widespread and bring benefits to modern, efficient, and sustainable agriculture.
The FONi Nusantara Seminar was held to expand networks and share experiences in field implementation. This event serves as a forum for agricultural practitioners and enthusiasts in Indonesia and Malaysia to discuss, exchange experiences, and strengthen the implementation of FONi technology in various regions. (Fj) (IAAS/FMT)
