Pocarina, Educational Souvenir for Love of Agriculture for IPB University Students
IPB University students make a souvenir breakthrough offering herbal plants in Pocarina pots (Pot Care in Action). This Pocarina has distinctive features from other pots, namely pictorial pots in various forms and motivational writings as a value to foster enthusiasm and awareness of the importance of agriculture considering that today people have started to abandon planting activities because they are considered boring and prefer to play their mobile phones. Uniquely the pots used are made from used and organic materials that can be created by themselves so that it can increase aesthetic value. Green souvenirs are also one of the superior products because they are made from used materials and new materials based on environmentally friendly so as to increase the value of public education and knowledge.
“Pocarina” innovative work from IPB University Students is a Student Creativity Program in Entrepreneurship (PKM-K) consisting of: Wahyu Amanda Siregar, Jurnila Sari Tanjung, Ilham Saputra, Adi Bagus Siswoyo and Rifan Taqwa Fianas. “Pocarina” can have an effect a great positive for the environment, farmers, and the community, so that they can advance agriculture and prosper the farmers.
Chairman of the PKM-K, Wahyu Amanda Siregar said, the use of medicinal plants / herbs in Pocarina aims to increase public awareness of the importance of maintaining herbal plants since herbal plants are plants from nature which have uses as natural medicines and are widely used in Indonesia because of their low price , easily available, and the benefits are not in doubt.
Wahyu added, this business concept is benefit, profit, recycle, and education (bifit reduction). Where the first concept is benefit, this concept takes into account the benefits of various kinds of medicinal plants used for health and plays a role in empowering farmers and of course also environmentally friendly.
The second concept is the concept of profit. Like the nature of business in general, this business aims to gain profit so that it can become a sustainable business. Deeper the profit of the business meant here is profit in the form of inner satisfaction from consumers and can be valued in the form of money.
The third concept is the concept of recycle. This recycle concept is one way to reduce the problem of environmental pollution by using used goods that are not used anymore as a medium for making products both in the form of organic and inorganic materials.
The fourth concept is education. Through Pocarina, it is hoped that providing education and a deeper understanding of the community about agriculture, especially medicinal plants, considering that Pocarina is not only intended for business but also as a tool to show the importance of agriculture and foster a love for agriculture.
Wahyu emphasized that the product “Pocarina” besides being an agriculture-based souvenir, also has its own unique aesthetic. Where this souvenir has a unique pot according to the wishes of consumers, also as an educational medium to make us aware of more love of agricultural culture. “So, Pocarina is an innovative product that really helps educate children and even all people to love agriculture. The hope is that this entrepreneurial activity can generate profits and a continuing business system, creating agriculture-based employment and innovative products that educate all groups of love for agriculture and the environment, “Wahyu said.
Pocarina products are sold at prices that match their production costs. The price of herbs and the types and ingredients in making pots is the owner’s reference in determining the market price which ranges from Rp. 10 000 – Rp. 150 000. The price of products sold is also adjusted to the level of difficulty of the products made. The higher the level of difficulty in making a product, the higher the price of the product. (NR)
