FMSC IPB University Students Accompany Karacak Village Community to Optimize Community Forest Products

IPB University students who are members of the Forest Management Student Club (FMSC) through the  Student Organization Capacity Strengthening Program (PPK Ormawa) in 2024, carried out workshop activities for the community service program in Karacak Village, Bogor Regency (25/6).

In this service program, IPB University students will carry out various community empowerment activities, especially for durian and mangosteen farmers in managing and utilizing non-timber forest products optimally.

Some forms of activity are assistance in implementing Occupational Safety and Health (K3) in fruit harvesting, standardization of fruit quality, domestication of Cengal durian, processing of fruit derivative products, digital marketing, strengthening farmer institutions, and increasing other capacities.

This program was initiated by 15 IPB University students from the PPK Ormawa FMSC team together with accompanying lecturer Fitta Setiajiati MSi.  “It is hoped that this program can become a model for sustainable agropolitan village-based management of non-timber forest products and can be applied in other villages in Indonesia,” said Farhan Prasetyo, leader of the Ormawa FMSC PPK implementation team.

“The hope is that the community will be able to increase income and prosperity by guaranteeing security in harvesting and utilizing existing local potential,” continued the IPB University student from the Forest Management Study Program, Faculty of Forestry and Environment.

The workshop was attended by the chief of Karacak Village, agricultural extension workers, farmers, women empowering family welfare (PKK), and more than 20 representatives of the local community.  The chief of Karacak Village, Onas Hestiyani, expressed his gratitude to IPB University and FMSC for this initiative.

“Hopefully this program will open people’s eyes to publicize that Karacak Village is very valuable. We hope to learn a lot from the students and accompanying lecturers to improve our welfare through training for the people of Cengal Hamlet,” said Onas.

The instructor from the Bogor Regency Agriculture Service, Yudi Mulyadi, also strongly supports this program.  According to him, cooperation between academics, government and society is the key to achieving sustainable natural resource management.

“With this program, we hope that changes will be for the common good, especially the farmers of Kacak Village. Continue to maintain solidarity, friendship and always coordinate with stakeholders,” he said.

Farhan said that this workshop was also an important moment for students to hone their skills in communicating, leading and empowering the community.  By establishing a good relationship between the PPK Ormawa FMSC IPB University team and the community, it is hoped that this program can run smoothly and successfully. (IAAS/EXC)