IPB University, Department of Agribusiness Organizes KKNT and DBWA Expo in Blora
Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) of IPB University successfully held an expo of a Thematic on-site Community Service (KKN-T) and Desa Berderap Wirausaha Agribisnis (DBWA) or Dynamized Entepreneurial Agribusiness Village in Blora Square. This activity was one of a series of DBWA programs as part of the Independent Campus Competition Program (PKKM) of the Department of Agribusiness FEM, IPB University.
Through this program, the Department of Agribusiness of IPB University in collaboration with the Blora District Government, synergized to create 32 new businesses (based on beef cattle agribusiness) that were innovative and sustainable. There were 80 students of the Agribusiness Department spreaded across 16 villages from 3 sub-districts who had displayed innovative products. In addition, the expo also featured products from village’s UMKM, an inexpensive farmers’ market, and healthy morning exercises. To ensure the success of the activity, the Department of Agribusiness of IPB University, not only collaborated with the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of Blora Regency but also with the Food, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Service (DP4) of Blora Regency.
The theme of this expo was Agribusiness Innovation towards Prosperous Blora. In accordance with the theme of the expo, for three months starting with KKN-T Innovation activities, the students were expected to produce innovations which can tap Blora potential as one of the beef cattle production centers.
The products produced by the students ranged from agricultural inputs such as solid fertilizer, liquid fertilizer, pesticides and planting media. The students also produced innovative processed products such as Nuggets, Meatballs, Dried skin crackers, and others. The enthusiasm of the village community were welcomed, so thus this activity was successfully organized.
Zabrina, a student of IPB University from the Department of Agribusiness, said that the expo was a place to display the work of students for three months in Blora Regency. In addition, Andri who is also a student of IPB University from the Department of Agribusiness gave his impression of this expo. “The expo is very exciting, because it has been three months since we met with other friends. So, we use this opportunity as well as possible to reminisce. It’s more about reminiscing, while showing our products,” said Andri.
This expo was not the end of DBWA’s activities, but the same expo would be held again on campus. “After this there will be an expo on campus, so that the campus community will know. Yes, we can also invite Blora Bappeda to come to campus so that our cooperation will be stronger,” said Dr Burhanuddin, as the Chief of Agribusiness Department of IPB University.
In addition, he said, he hoped that this collaboration would continue so that it could have a greater impact by involving more villages, thus creating the latest innovations.
Arief Rohman, MSi as the Regent of Blora gave a positive response related to this activity and hoped that the collaboration between IPB and Blora would continue so that this activity could be sustainable and IPB University could assist all villages in Blora.
“Hopefully it will not only stop here, it will continue, since there are about 271 villages in Blora, and only a fraction of them have been included. If possible, all villages in Blora should be assisted by IPB University. If all villages in Blora were assisted and there were innovations, we would send a letter to the Rector of IPB University so that the program would not only be done ini this few areas but in all Blora villages, and thus this could have been IPB University’s largest on-site Community Service ever,” said the Regent of Blora. (AAS) (IAAS/SHY)
