University Farm of IPB Owns Hundred Hectares of Lands to educate students
University Farm of Bogor Agricultural University (UF IPB) owns an estate of 788.24 hectares spread around Bogor Regency and City, Cianjur, DKI Jakarta, and Sukabumi which represent low wet and high wet agro-ecosystem areas. Most of the land is marginal (stony lands) 39.13 hectares, dry land 409.63 hectares, and 350 hectares of forest.
Head of Unit of University Farm IPB, Dr. Tri Prartono said that the land area of 788.24 hectares is managed as a manifestation of the vision of UF. Bogor Agricultural University maintains a university farm to support teaching, research, and outreach activities of the university. UF's vision is to become an independent and manage the unit professionally, and assist the university to implement university’s Tridharma as prime movers in mainstreaming agriculture.
Overall the Unit of University areas is divided into 17 units of field, where some units are equipped by complete buildings such as offices, warehouses, official houses, lecturers' mess, greenhouses, nursery homes, drying floors, ponds and warehouses. In addition, some units are maintain tractors and handtractors as their facilities.
The main goal of the University Farm is to educate students. This is a critical function of the farm due to the limited farm experience of many students. Even though most of today's students won't be farm owners, hands-on-farming experience is an important part of their education and preparation for careers that directly relate to the production sector of agriculture. UF IPB coordinates academic support facilities including experimental gardens, ponds, marine laboratories, cattle grazing fields, and educational forests. Incorporate land management techniques that contribute to efficient production systems
In addition to support the university’s Tridharma (education, research and community service), the university farm is also for income generating activities. "Therefore, university farm allotment must be designed for possible measures for increasing production and income from each unit," explained Head of UF IPB's Promotion and Promotion Division, Anang Sumarna.
Currently, one of the activities managed by University Farm as co-ordinator is Agribusiness Development Station (ADS) Cikarawang. ADS Cikarawang is an integrated agribusiness activity that integrates production and marketing in a package of assistance activities and empowerment of farmer community. ADS utilizes Bogor Agricultural University or other research institutions technology to produce seed products, for practical works on cultivation techniques, fertilization, and so forth. Practical works on post-production technology are also carried out in this university farm, which educate students to guarantee their product quality through appropriate postharvest handling, including storage, grading, packing, and labelling.
"The technology they learned then will be disseminated and applied to the farmers as partners of ADS and the university farm outlets for marketing their agricultural products, the farmers get training and technical assistance, so that the product quality can be controlled and in accordance with market demand," he said.
Please stop by the farm if you are in the area, make sure to bring home fresh products such as spinach, kale, white pariah, the cowpea, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and various vegetable seeds. (Wied)
