IPB’s Activities in” Go Field” at Klaten Regency
On Friday, July 23, 2010, from 13:00 to 16:00, a discussion was held with the theme "Meeting of Officials and Farmers with the Crop Clinics of IPB for the Control of Brown Planthopper.” It took place in the Office of Agricultural UPTD, Klaten Regency. This is part of IPB’s activities “Go Field” in collaboration with the Program of I MHERE B2 C-IPB.
The meeting was attended by various stakeholders in Klaten Regency, such as Regional Development Planning Board, Department of Agriculture, Observers of Pests and Diseases, Agricultural Extension Officer, and farmers. Meanwhile, there were six IPB’s lecturers from Dept. Plant Protection (PTN), Faperta IPB: Dr. Dadang, Dr. Abdul Munif, Dr. Swastiko Priyambodo, Dr. Widodo, Dr. Suryo Wiyono, and Dr. Hermanu Triwidodo, accompanied by eight students from state universities and one AGH student who were conducting activities of IPB’s Go Field in Klaten Regency. It was also attended by the daily acting officer for the Director of Food Crop Protection, Ministry of Agriculture, Ir. Ghaib, MM. and a lecturer from Faperta UNS, Ir. Retno Wijayanti, Si with her ten students.
It was an interesting discussion, addressing not only the issues of Brown Planthopper, but also several other plant pests and diseases (corn, peppers, tomatoes, etc.), which was the result of rapid identification by Staff of IPB Plant Clinic, who opened a consultation stand at the event venue. Also of great interest was the discussion on the topic of plant cultivation, soil ecology, marketing of agricultural products, and so forth.
In the morning, from 9:00 to 11:00 a close discussion was held in the Office of Agricultural Services of Klaten Regency, attended by Staff of Agricultural Services in Klaten and lecturers of IPB, and documented by TVRI Yogyakarta, and some local newspaper reporters.
The first group of IPB arrived in Klaten on Thursday July 22, 2010, and directly visited the site to see the severity of Brown Planthopper attack on the rice crops. It appeared that the problem of Brown Planthopper should get major attention from IPB, particularly the Faculty of Agriculture, and most likely IPM Study Center, Dept. of Plant Protection activities can initiate by going down to the field to assist farmers in the rice production centers in West Java Province (Regencies of Subang, Karawang, and Indramayu). Forms of activity could be further discussed.
