IPB Students Care for Farmers through Rice Expedition Movement of Nusantara
Students of the Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) held a series of expedition activities of Rice Nusantara Volume 3. Expedition entitled "Evaluation of the Application of IPM System on Rice Farm" is divided into three activities: debriefing, going to the fielding, and study of the results going to the field. The debriefing activities are aimed to equip students with the concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and student discharge. In this briefing and disengagement activities were present Secretary of the Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Dr. Ir. Ruly Anwar, M.Si, and representatives of the People's Coalition for Food Sovereignty (KRKP), Thursday (5/7).
As for activities down in the field, students will meet rice farmers directly. As many as 200 students of the Department of Plant Protection will plunge into various regions and provinces in Indonesia. At least there are 18 provinces that will be the location of Expedition Rice Nusantara Volume 3.
Of the 18 provinces, there are at least some of the major rice producers, such as West Java, Central Java, and East Java. Activities down to the field will take approximately two months in July and August. Each student who participated in this field will conduct a survey to farmers related to the implementation of IPM in rice cultivation. Not only that, students are also asked to help solve the problems of farmers according to their respective abilities. The results of this field will be the source of data to be used in the evaluation of the application of PHT concept later.
In this expedition rice commodities selected because rice plants become the main commodities grown by farmers. Not only that, rice crop is chosen because it is a more common agricultural commodity grown by farmers so it is easy to find. On the other hand, rice farmers also get the development of human resources from the government, so it needs to be measured whether the program is having an impact or not, especially in relation to the concept of IPM in rice crops.
The evaluation of the IPM concept is done because basically the concept of IPM has been issued legislation since 1985, but now the concept of IPM is missing from farmers, especially rice farmers. When the concept is applied, there are very useful advantages to farmers, consumers, and natural ecosystems. In general, the application of the IPM concept can protect consumers from excessive, economically, and environmentally-friendly pesticide residues.
Commission of Student and Discipline, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture IPB as well as experts of Plant Clinic, Bonjok Istiaji, SP, M.Si said, through this rice expedition activity students can learn directly to agricultural practitioners, i.e. farmers. Not only that, students can also contribute real to the farmers and can be good friends for farmers during the holidays later. "It is so the students are not confined with lecture activity, but can foster more empathy for farmers," he added. (RYS)
