Faculty of Agriculture-IPB Graduate, 1st Winner of Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs
Kukuh Roxa Handriyono, a graduate of Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) becomes the Champion , the 1st winner of Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs, Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenpora). Beginning with his interest in agriculture and concerns over the farmers in Banyuwangi faced with drought almost two seasons in a row, Kukuh Roxa founded Pandawa Putra Indonesia. Pandawa Putra Indonesia is a company engaged in agricultural products including solid and liquid organic fertilizer, botanical pesticides and bio-agents. At first he dealt with the production of white rice and then expanded to brown rice. Along with the educational approach to the market and the increasing number of middle-class people in Indonesia, a healthy lifestyle is increasingly supportive to the rise in the consumption of brown rice. In 2012, the total area of farmers that produced rice production was 80 hectares. Handriyono helps farmers with the production. In mid-2013 he began the business in developing and breeding of rice seeds as an effort in facilitating farmers to get rice seeds that have an official certificate from the government.
Apart from the assistance to farmers, Kukuh also empowers garbage collectors to separate organic from inorganic waste. Organic waste that has been separated is then used as an ingredient for the manufacture of organic fertilizer. On average the organic waste materials used accounts for as much as 10-20 tons per month. With his innovations in agriculture and environment, Kukuh Roxa won 1st Prize in the Young Entrepreneur Competition organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs, in October 2013. He also received other awards: SPIRIT GKN from Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in May 2013, Young Change Maker in 2013 from Ashoka Indonesia in August 2013, Adipura Kencana Mitra Award from Banyuwangi Regency for uban waste treatment in July 2013 , and Community Entrepreneurs Challenge Finalists III from the British Council in 2012. (Mtd)
