In the Midst of El Nino, IPB Subang Innovation Village Gains a Bountiful Harvest
In the midst of the El Nino phenomenon, IPB Subang Innovation Village successfully harvested a bumper crop on Thursday (28/9), precisely in Kiarasari Village, Compreng Sub-district, Subang Regency. The activity was supported by PT Sari Bumi Nusantara.
Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture (Faperta) IPB University, Prof Suryo Wiyono said, IPB Innovation Village has been implemented for two years by applying modern technology from upstream to downstream in one area accompanied by institutional strengthening of farmers. The technologies applied include Automatic Weather Station, herbicide spraying, biopesticides and fertilisation using drones.
Not only that, IPB Subang Innovation Village also applies soil fertility maps for precision fertilisation, mechanisation of transplanting and harvesting, modern RMU, and bio-immunisation of rice seeds.
“As a result, there is an efficiency of rice farming, namely a 30 per cent decrease in production costs, an increase in yield from 60 per cent to 65 per cent, and a decrease in pests and diseases such as rats and stem borers. The yield of rice in IPB Subang Innovation Village for the Inpari 32 variety is 9 tonnes and the Ketan Grendel variety is 10 tonnes of harvested dry grain per hectare (gpk/ha),” said Prof Suryo.
Director of Processing and Marketing of Food Plant Products (PPHTP), Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) Batara Siagian SP, MAb said, in the future, it is hoped that IPB Innovation Village will not only be a place to learn about agriculture, but also business. Therefore, with the signing of the cooperation between Faperta IPB University and the Directorate of PPHTP, it is expected to initiate the development of IPB Innovation Village in the future.
Pentahelix collaboration occurs in IPB Innovation Village which involves academia, industry, community, government, and media. According to the Vice Regent of Subang and Chairman of the IPB Subang Alumni Association Ir Agus Masykur Rosadi SSi, MM, IPB Innovation Village needs to be developed in other villages, not only in Kiarasari Village.
The harvest was attended by no less than 200 people including the Dean of Faculty of Agriculture of IPB, Director of Research and Innovation of IPB, Vice Regent of Subang, Secretary General of IPB Alumni Association, Director of PT Sari Bumi Nusantara, Head of Subang Agriculture Office, Director of PPHTP of the Ministry of Agriculture, hundreds of Subang and Indramayu farmers and the surrounding community. (*/Rz) (IAAS/RUM)
