North Sumatra Provincial Government Representatives Visited Posdaya which is Under the Patronage of Bogor Agricultural University
Staff of North Sumatra provincial government took official visit or Observation Study Tour (OST) to Posdaya, "Sauyunan", Ciherang village, and Posdaya “Mekarsari”, Sinarsari village, Bogor regency, on 15 May 2012. Those two Posdaya are two of the Posdaya under the patronage of P2SDM-LPPM IPB (CENTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT – Research and Community Empowerment Institute Bogor Agricultural University). Official reception was held at the Auditorium Toyib Hadiwijaya, Darmaga campus, Bogor.
Mayor of Tanjung Balai city, North Sumatra, Hj. Harmaini Tamrin expressed the objective of the official tour to visit those Posdayas were to observe the development of Posdaya from the first hand, and will paternize such community empowerment program in her region. She realized that her territory in fact has a lot the superior potentialities but up to now no Posdaya has been established. "In addition, hot issues concerning the development of Posdaya in the village around the Campus, and the granting of the award by the Damandiri Foundation for the successful development of this community development program has been disseminated in North Sumatra. “The issue encourage me to make the Observation Study Tour (OST) immediately," she said.
Deputy Head of Research and Community Empowerment Institute Bogor Agricultural University (LPPM – IPB) for the Community Services, Dr. Ir. Prastowo, stated that Posdaya is the joint project between IPB and the Damandiri Foundation, and the project was started on 2005. "The implementation of the Posdaya activities involves the integration of research activities and community service," he said. Methods of implementing community service programs by IPB, among other things are: (1). Field works program, or “Students Go to the Field; (2). Field Work Profession (CTF); (3). Mentoring and empowerment of SMEs (UMKM), (4). Bioremediation of degraded lands; (5). The appropriate technology utilization; (6). Packaging House; and (7). Posdaya and partnerships program for self-management.
Finally he expected that the visit will become a forum to exchange and share of information, experiences and knowledge. In addition, Dr. Prastowo also stated that the foundation in implementing its community service program IPB is its competence, which is supported by its nine faculties. Officials of North Sumatra who participated in the OST, among others, were the Head of BKKBN North Sumatra, Provincial Secretary, and Head of North Sumatra IPKB. (Wied).
