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| The visit of the Rector of UMM in Tabanan with the aim of collaboration with the Regional Government of Tabanan. (Photo by Wildan PR of UMM) |
The University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) continues to play an active role at the global level, including preserving and advancing cultural aspects. One is developing Subak Bali, which has been acknowledged as the world's heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). UMM has even done several things from upstream to downstream and collaborated with the Regional Government of Tabanan Regency on June 8, 2023.
Subak is known as an organization where farmers deliberate to regulate the agricultural irrigation management system in Bali. Prof. Dr. Ir. Indah Prihartini, M.P., the team representative from UMM, said they not only looked at Subak from an agricultural perspective but also from the economic, sociocultural, environmental, and even tourism dimensions. She and her team have also surveyed and obtained data from the development. One is related to organic farming.
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One of the things done is to improve the soil quality at the pH 4-4.5 range. Farmers will inevitably have to pay additional costs for good soil productivity if the soil is not fertile. Thus, Indah encouraged farmers to be able to make the soil in the field fruitful through organic farming. In that way, production costs can automatically be reduced, more profit, and the selling price can be relatively higher.
"We have done various things. Starting from the quality system training, production field of organic fertilizer schools, demonstration plots, training on cleaning residues in rice fields, and the construction of filtration ponds. We also (have) provided Biofarm liquid fertilizer assistance to hundreds of farmers there. Together with Subak Bengkel, the UMM team has also planted organic rice on 1.1 hectares and will continue to be expanded gradually," she explained.
Soon, UMM and Subak Bengkel will also plant rice organically on 1.3 hectares of land and continue to be developed on hundreds of other hectares after the formulation and cooperation. Indah also emphasized that there will be organic certification to recognize the quality, even by organizing organic farming programs in various areas of Subak Bengkel.
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On the other hand, the Regent of Tabanan, Dr. I Komang Gede Sanjaya, S.E., M.M., feels pleased to be able to collaborate with UMM in the fields of education, technology, research, and service, and even with agriculture, which the White Campus UMM is now working on. According to him, the ideas and thoughts of professors and academics, including UMM, are indispensable in the global era, primarily in maintaining world heritage cultures such as Subak. He believes the outcome and results will be better than before.
He also explained that 75% of the population in Tabanan is engaged in agriculture. So, it is no wonder that Tabanan has become a food and rice barn on the island of Bali. It even received the satya badge of Development Award from the president. "Hopefully, this collaboration can provide goodness, maintain the world heritage culture of Subak, and improve the welfare of farmers," said the Tabanan Regent.
Meanwhile, the Rector of UMM, Prof. Dr. Fauzan, M.Pd., said that his team does have a particular group called professors who drive community development. In it, there are professors from various fields who are ready to help improve the community's welfare. One of the results is cooperation with Bondowoso Regency regarding organic farming, Jember, and different other regions.
"We are certainly helping to maintain the world heritage as well as helping to improve the welfare of the community. Moreover, we have the same goal to advance the interests of the nation and state," concluded Fauzan. (imh/wil)
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