19 August 2024
Syafrijal S.Kom
The National KKN Group in Seruawan Village received a positive response from farmers after holding an integrated pest control socialization activity on clove stem borer pests on Monday (5/8). The activity, which is a leading program in the agricultural sector, was carried out at the Seruawan village hall by involving farmers, especially those who grow cloves.
On one occasion, Suranti Pratiwi, an Agrotechnology student who is in charge of this activity, said that this program was designed to provide education to farmers regarding integrated pest control techniques, so that the population and damage caused by clove stem borer pests can be controlled at a level that is not economically detrimental. In addition, this program also ensures that the quality and balance of the environment are maintained.
"So I had the opportunity to observe the clove plantation and found that indeed this PBC attack is a scourge for farmers, because it can reduce the harvest by 20-80%. That's why I then initiated this integrated pest control program to educate farmers that there are various techniques used to control this PBC pest," said Suranti when interviewed on Tuesday (6/8).
In this program, farmers are taught various integrated pest control practices that prioritize ecological aspects and economic efficiency. Some of the techniques taught include: plant quarantine, cultivation methods, mechanical control, and biological control. In addition, farmers are also given training to make botanical pesticides from clove leaves. This innovation produces botanical pesticides that have the advantages of being low cost, easy to make, and environmentally friendly. This product can be sold or used for personal needs, thus providing great benefits to the local community in controlling clove stem borer pests and improving the local economy.
In his speech, the King of Seruawan Village, Alfons Pentury, S.Pt stated that this program is something new for farmers in Seruawan village, giving them new knowledge in managing clove gardens. He hopes that through this program, farmers can be better educated to pay attention to and care for their clove gardens, so that their productivity can increase.
On the same occasion, Mr. Roy Sahetapy, one of the participants of the activity, expressed his enthusiasm for the event because the explanation given was quite easy to understand. He also added that this activity brought new knowledge to farmers.
"I just found out that clove leaves can be used as a botanical pesticide. This is new knowledge for me. Earlier, we were also shown how to make it, which turned out to be quite easy," he said.
The positive response from farmers in Seruawan village was also reflected in their increased knowledge about integrated pest control on clove stem borers. This can be seen from the average pre-test score which was initially 50%, then increased to 72% in the post-test, with the highest score reaching 100/100. In addition, based on the questionnaire data, on the question "Do you understand the socialization material?" 100% of respondents answered "Understand."
At the end of the activity, a documentation session and handover of botanical pesticide products were held by the Group Leader, Yulius Ruspanah, to farmer representatives. It is hoped that this product can be applied to clove plantations.
