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| The portrait of Mehiyar Ramadhan, the agribusiness student of the Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM). (Photo: Istimewa) |
The Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) has delegated its students to intern in various countries, including Japan. One of the departing students was Mehiyar Ramadhan, from the agribusiness department. He even shared his intern experience in the Land of Sakura—also known as Japan.
He was taught how to properly manage a greenhouse so plants could grow healthy and produce quality products. One of the things garnering his attention was growing strawberries.
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"Plants in the greenhouse must still be treated with pesticides to prevent pests. We were also taught secret tips for growing strawberries without (having to) buying new seeds. It is even guaranteed that the fruit will continue to grow sweet like soaked in sugar water," said the Agribusiness student.
The man from Pontianak explains that the strawberry can continue to grow due to the shoots from the previous plants that were moved into small polybags. Inside, the soil is mixed with manure and chemical fertilizers. Additionally, mineral fertilizers derived from ground fish bones, eggshells, and sea shells, are sown on the soil.
According to Mehiyar, strawberries need to be treated like humans. For instance, their exclusive care can make the fruit comfortable. After fruiting, Mehiyar now learns how to classify strawberries based on their quality.
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“There, the quality of the product can be seen from the packaging (process). Especially in Japan, the grade of the products, including strawberries, is a vital aspect to increase the selling price”, said the man from Pontianak.
The youngest child of the three brothers also felt that interning in Japan had benefitted him much. Though far from his family, he gained many new skills and knowledge that he might not have acquired in Indonesia.
“Alhamdulillah, I am considered to have given a positive impression and will most likely be recommended to work back in Japan after graduating,” said Mehyar.
Meanwhile, this Japanese internship program by UMM has collaborated with the Job Training Institute of Indonesia (Trans.: Lembaga Pelatihan Kerja) to facilitate students’ placement, especially in agriculture. Intern students will get an opportunity to work directly in the plantation or rice fields. (imh/ri/wil)
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