IPB University Students Turn Waste into Blessing in Karanganyar Village
Corn is the main commodity in Karanganyar Village, Tegal, Central Java. However, the abundance of corn harvest often leaves a pile of organic waste. Seeing this problem, the IPB University Innovation Thematic Real Work Lecture (KKNT) team in Karanganyar Village was moved to turn waste into blessings.
The IPB University students initiated a program to process organic waste into liquid organic fertilizer (POC). This activity was held at the Sekar Arum Women Farmers Group (KWT) Meeting Hall and was attended by the KWT management.
The leader of the KKNT Inovasi team in Karanganyar Village, he said that this POC is made from natural ingredients such as corn harvest residue, vegetable waste, fruit waste, and animal waste. The manufacturing process is fairly easy and does not require high technology.
“Corn harvest residues such as litter have various benefits for plant growth. Corn litter contains organic materials to increase the availability of nutrients for plants,” he said.
According to him, the use of corn litter as an ingredient for making organic fertilizer can also save costs. This is because it can reduce the cost of chemical fertilizers and increase plant productivity in the long run.
In addition to corn litter as an ingredient for making POC, vegetable waste such as leftover kale, tomatoes, cucumbers and mustard greens can also be added as an ingredient for making POC. This is also an effort to reduce waste. Vegetable waste that is not managed properly will rot and cause an unpleasant smell.
He said “This activity aims to provide education and training to KWT on the utilization of organic waste into POC which is environmentally friendly and beneficial for plants.”
He also explained that this program aims to improve soil fertility and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers that are used excessively and sustainably can also have many adverse effects, such as damaging the surrounding environment, making pests and diseases resistant, and damaging soil structure such as soil conditions that become hard.
“This POC is rich in nutrients that corn plants need, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Regular use of POC can help increase corn yields and improve soil quality,” he explained.
He said the program was enthusiastically welcomed by KWT Karanganyar Village. The farmers were invited to take part in POC production training and given education on the benefits of using organic fertilizers.
“It is hoped that KWT can produce POC independently to meet their crop fertilizer needs and can be a sustainable solution to increase agricultural productivity in Karanganyar Village. Hopefully this can also help increase crop yields and farmers’ income, as well as preserve the environment,” he concluded. (*/Rz) (IAAS/HRD)
