Field Day Program of IMHERE B2.C and Plant Clinic Safari of IPB

Seventeen teaching staffs from three departments (Plant Protection, Agronomy and Horticulture, and Soil Science and Land Resources) under the Faculty of Agriculture, IPB have actively participated in the Field Day (Field Meeting) of IMHERE B2.C Program, held on 11 / 1, on Research and Development of Biointensive IPM Technology and Plant Clinic Safari of IPB on the land belonging to Gapoktan (Farmer Family Group) ‘Silih Asih’,

The team led by Dr. Dadang (Head of Plant Protection Department), with Dr. Idham S. Harahap (Director of  IPM Study Center), and Dr. Suryo Wiyono (Director of Plant Clinic) equipped with the Agricultural Faculty’s car for plant clinics assisted around 70 farmers of food crops and horticulture from Bogor, Cianjur, Subang, Serang, Brebes, and Tegal. The event was also attended by officers of Agricultural, Fishery and Forestry Services of Cigombong Branch, Bogor Regency and Staff of LPS (Institute for Healthy Agriculture), an NGO of Agriculture to help and encourage the farmers in its neighborhood to practice environmentally friendly farming.

These field activities include: consultation with the farmers on the problems of pest, diseases, and soil, particularly those related to paddy, soybean, and pepper; information about healthy cultivation of pepper plants (Dr. M. Syukur and Dr. S. Hendrastuti) and management of rats and birds as significant pests of rice plants (Dr. Swastiko Priyambodo); and a field trip to observe the rice crop cultivated bio-intensively. It is expected that these activities can disseminate various technologies to farmers so that they will practice healthy farming methods. (mtd)