IPB Develops Smart Farming of Tropical Fruit Seeds in Science-Techno Park Riau
Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) realizes its commitment to develop Agriculture 4.0 by establisihing orchard-scale tropical fruit garden in Science-Techno Park (STP) Riau. “The establishment of orchard-scale tropical fruit garden in STP Riau is a result of cooperation between Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education, IPB, and Riau province. This was done to realize wide-scale fruit garden establishment, or orchard, through Startup Program in Tropical Fruit Seeds Development Industry to Support Orange Revolution National Program,” says the Vice Rector of Innovation, Business, and Entrepreneurship of IPB, Prof. Dr. Erika Budiarti Laconi (9/8).
This initiative was motivated by the lack of orchard-scale fruit garden in Indonesia. According to Prof. Erika, currently fruit production in Indonesia still depens on small-scale gardens, which lead into ineffective and inefficient production that compromises products’ quality and quantity. “Orange Revolution program is a national program that was initiated at 2013 and strengthened in 2015, which has the purpose to realize fruit consumption independency and to make Indonesia the biggest tropical fruit exporter in Southeast Asia at 2025 and in global scale at 2045.”
Moreover, Prof. Erika also said that the Startup Program in Tropical Fruit Seeds Development Industry to Support Orange Revolution National Program is coordinated by Tropical Horticulture Study Center, Institute of Research and Community Center (PKHT LPPM), Bogor Agricultural University, which is the Leading Science Center (PUI) of horticulture in Indonesia, in coordination with industry partner PT. Bogor Life Science and Technology, and PT. Botani Seed Indonesia. “The innovation included in this program is the improvement of quality seeds availability. Variety is indeed a key of success in production by developing integrated fruit seed industry.”
This is an innovation in new process and business model in developing seeds and orchard-scale fruit garden in Indonesia, using renewable technology and facility Precision/Smart Farming, application of Internet of Things (IoT) system in production and marketing of quality seed and fruit to support Orange Revolution national program. “In this model new technology in production of quality seeds is developed, from the survey and cultivation of source tree by creating Blok Penggunaan Mata Tempel (BPMT), self-managing the planting media, and utilization of green house and automatic sprinkler irrigation system,” explains Prof Erika.
In Startup Program in Tropical Fruit Seeds Development Industry to Support Orange Revolution National Program, a high-density system, standard operational procedure (SOP) that refers to good agricultural practising (GAP), more precise nutrient and water utilization, and if needed, fertilization trial outside the season are implemented. To strengthen the seeding smart farming system will be implemented. In marketing and production cooperation franchise system and e-commerce will be implemented.
Besides in STP Riau, similar exemplary orchard will be built in several places, which are in Blora, Sukamantri Bogor, and Luwuk Banggai. Those orchards are expected to trigger entrepreneurs to take part in developing big-scale fruit orchards in the future. Especially for Riau province, seed dissemination, consisting of durian, avocado, longan, and orange seeds, will be done as much as 2.800 to committed parties. Those parties are STP Riau, Balitbang Kampar Regency, Riau University, Riau Islamic University Sultan Syarif Kasim, Riau Muhammadiyah University, and Lancang Kuning University.
Promotion or dissemination was also done in 16 areas, spread in Indonesia, to improve awareness in national fruit business/industry through seeds dissemination and trainings in seeding, production, and post-harvest processes. This year, hubs for seed production were built in several locations. Some of which are Riau, Blora, Takalar, and Bogor.
