IPB Empowers Pekalongan Regency Farmers
IPB University in collaboration with the District Government (Pemkab) of Pekalongan to empower farmers in Pekalongan Regency. This was conveyed by the Rector of IPB, Dr. Arif Satria when meeting with Pekalongan Regent, Asip Kholbihi during the launch of the cooperation program between IPB and Pekalongan Regency Government, Friday (1/3), in Paninggran District, Pekalongan Regency.
Dr. Arif said, IPB in collaboration with the Pekalongan Regency Government launched a collaborative activity which included the Lapang Agro Kreatif Station (SLAK) for palm trees and palm sugar processing, santripreneurship (entrepreneurship for santri boarding schools) and the People’s Animal Husbandry School (SPR). “In addition, assistance is provided to handle diseases of durian and clove plants, assistance in upland rice cultivation and assistance in tobacco cultivation,” continued Dr. Arif.
In the event the IPB plant clinic car was presented. The clinic car help the problems of pests in various plants faced by farmers in Pekalongan Regency. On that occasion, the group of Pekalongan Regency Government and IPB went to the location of cattle farms from artificial insemination in Paninggaran District which would be developed into the People’s Animal Husbandry School.
Seeing the clinic car activities, Pekalongan Regency Government is also interested in developing plant clinic cars prepared by the Regency Government with IPB assistance, as well as cooperating with local universities such as Pekalongan University.
Furthermore, the Regent and Rector of IPB reviewed the training of palm sugar in Botosari Village, Paninggaran District. The resource person from IPB was present to train sugar palm farmers to be value-added processed products. In this village IPB’s LPPM in collaboration with the Department of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (Disperidagkop and UKM) placed two IPB facilitators to stay and assist farmers for four months. The Regent and his staff are also committed to absorbing the products from the training and assistance.
The launch of the collaboration program was also attended by the Deputy Regent of Pekalongan Regency, Ir. Hj. Arini Harimurti, Chair of Pekalongan Regency DPRD, Dra. Hj Hindun, MH, Head of the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) of IPB, Dr. Aji Hermawan, Deputy Head of IPB’s LPPM for Community Service, Prof. Sugeng Heri Suseno, Chair of the IPB SPR, Prof. Muladno and experts consisting of IPB lecturers from various faculties. (RYS)
