IPB Alumni Represented Indonesia in The First ASEAN Youth Social Entrepreuneur 2017
Alumni of the Agronomy and Horticulture Department 0f Faculty of Agriculture of Bogor Agricultural University (FAPERTA IPB), Rizal Fahreza, was selected to represent Indonesia in The First ASEAN Youth Social Entrepreneur Award 2017, held in Manila, the Philippines, on 6-8 August 2017. The event was held in the framework of the 30th anniversary of ASEAN Summit and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN.
Rizal has been crowned as the 1st Winner of Wirausaha Muda Pemula Berprestasi Tingkat Nasional (the National Young Entrepreneur Beginner Achievement) 2016. The Prize Giving Ceremony by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) RI was coincided with the anniversary of Youth Pledge Day in Kalimantan.
Rizal made a breakthrough to revive the production of Garut oranges (both orange and tangerine), as he thought that citrus farmers in Garut have "lost their passion" to cultivate oranges. Here, Rizal has the document proving that he is a bachelor of IPB and decided to a plus farmer.
"A combination of talent, perseverance, and education. Perseverance is the ability to keep going after defeat, and Rizal perseverance is visible when he was elected as one of the Executive Boards of Agronomy Students Association and chosen as committee member of Festival of Flower and Fruit Nusantara (FBBN), "said Rector of IPB, Prof. Dr. Herry Suhardiyanto commented on Rizal's figure.
We have known since long time ago that the size of Garut orange is large, crunchy and sweet. However, Garut orange has long abandoned by farmers. They are not interested in growing citrus anymore, as speculative middlemen play important role in marketing process, the cost of fertilizer, expensive labor cost, an outbreak of pest and disease attack, as well as cases of theft of ready-to-harvest citrus.
"There won’t be future for Garut orange anymore. The glories Garut orange will be remembered by th next generation, Garut orange will be part of the good story of the Indonesia fruits for story telling in the evening," said Rizal.
Rizal is native to Garut. He remembered his happy childhood during the citrus harvest, a memory that always overshadowed him even many citrus orchards have been abandoned in Garut. Rizal was destined to be admitted to IPB, he studied at the Department of Agronomy and Hortikuktura, FAPERTA IPB. .
After had been Graduated from IPB, Rizal began his vegetable and fruit production business (2011-2012) by managing 2.2 hectares of land. He also cooperates with partner farmers of Garut who own 14 hectares of scattered four districts to assist them in marketing their fruit and vegetable products.
For the fruit commodity, Rizal focuses on Garut oranges as he expects that he will assist the government to minimize the fruit import to Indonesian. Besides, he runs this Garut orange business as to help government for Garut orange germplasm conservation. This orange is one of the mainstay commodity of Garut Regency which is almost extinct due to CVPD pest and disease attack.
Currently, in addition to run his own business to produce his own products, Rizal is coaching his partner farmers. So far he has established partnership program with 17 farmers. In the near future approximately 10 other farmers are scheduled to join this partnerships program with him.
"Until the end of last year, approximately 27 to 30 farmers who have joined partnerships with him to grow and develop their horticultural business," said the man who was born 26 years ago.
The business he started from the production, processing and distribution of horticultural products, mainly vegetables and fruits. Special marketing of fruits, are channelized through a special market that is to catering and cooperative employees of state-owned companies such as bank Mandiri, bank BRI, Telkom sigma and state gas company, IPB and others. For vegetables, they are marketed to Pangkal Pinang to the cooperative company which it supplies to four districts in Bangka Belitung into three lins. Line 1, for demand above seven tons, they will be delivered through the expedition company, via Garut – Palembang and Pangkal Pinang; Line 2, for special orders, they will be delivered by Lion Cargo airline through Soekarno Hatta Airport; and line 3, they will be delivered through Tanjung Priok harbour, Jakarta.
In order to improve his knowledge on agriculture, after graduating from IPB in 2014, Rizal got an opportunity to participate in the International Agriculture Internship Program, through The Ohio Program (TOP), a cooperative project between Indonesia – IPB and the United States – Ohio State University for 13 months, in California.
"I saved some of my apprentice fee I earned for business capital, and for my daily subsistence. Some of them were utilized to cover my program One Day Lecture Class at top universities, such as Harvard, Yale and others. Some were spent for good book purchsse, as I thought I wouldn’t be able to buy them in Indonesia, "he explained.
Entrepreneurs according to him is one way to earn income faster than office work. Of course, the business must be initiated with the right intention, work hard and never give up, and having a simple and clear mission statement.
The initial capital to run his business amounted to Rp 23.850.000, for starting his vegetables business. Then proceed to the stage in the production, processing and marketing of vegetables and fruits.
According to his calculations, the total capital of Rp 220 million will be enough to cover the entire investment, the input production for the next ten years in cooperation with investors.
Currently, in the early stage the turnover of business is Rp 8-15 million / month for the vegetables and fruits, and Rp 25-35 million / month for the distribution and sales of vegetables and fruit.
To obtain the best results, Rizal implements planting patterns according to standard recommended by planting procedures, ranging from good seed selection and seed origins, appropriate fertilization recommendations, selective pest and disease control, correct harvesting, and appropriate post harvest handling. .
"In addition, we won’t sell some vegetable commodities such as chili freshly, but we also produce the derivative products, one of which is abon chilli. For packing of fruit commodities we use exclusive cardboard packs weighing three kilograms. Furthermore, for the distribution, we shortcut the trade line, "he explained.
Rizal is not an easy young surrender. He is a tough, tenacious and knowledgeable young man. Oranges are not corn-like crops that can be quickly harvested. Money can run out, while waiting to harvest crops. Rizal does not run out of reason, he planted various short-lived vegetables, a season he could harvest and he pioneered the path of marketing to consumers in Jakarta. No intimidating or forcing of middlemen.
His latest debut is to build the concept of agro-tourism in his garden and build the restaurant "Eptilu". Garden restaurant with fresh, natural and nutritious concept. The restaurant's name is unique "Eptilu". What does Eptilu mean? Ep tilu (three), meaning three F, namely: Fresh From Farm. Who said urang sunda can not say F, pitnaaaaah! (Wied)
