Young generation is required to have high spirit in creating innovations, especially those that can support human needs related to current conditions and even the future.
Nasihul Mukmin and Sarabila Karima, students of Agribusiness Study Program (Prodi) and Agrotechnology Prodi Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) made innovations that are named Vegedrilla.
Vegedrilla is an innovation consisting of a combination of utilization of tofu waste as organic fertilizer for microgreen plants, hydrilla and also hydrogel.
Nasihul said that the idea of innovation they make begins with anxiety over the phenomenon of land conversion which resulted in limited space for planting crops. "We also get data that vegetable consumption has increased. Therefore, we think how to create innovations that fit both conditions," he explained.
He added that the results of the processing of tofu waste into organic fertilizer is considered suitable and proven to increase the nutritional value of plants that use the fertilizer. "Microgreen which is one type of plant consumption can have higher nutrients when using organic fertilizer from this tofu waste," he added.
Not only innovative, this breakthrough was also successfully selected as the 1st Winner in Agrifasco 2018 held at Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in January. The UMM team succeeded to become the champion after defeating various other innovations from all universities in Indonesia who participated in the event.
"Of the 10 finalists who presentedl, thank to God that UMM finally came out as the champions. It was followed by University of Tanjung Pura and University of Gajah Mada in third place," said Nasihul proud.
Raihan is certainly a proud. The lecturer of the LKTI team, Erfan Dani Septia, SP, MP, admitted that this student achievement is a remarkable result. Although the champion is not the main target, but this result is a business bonus that has been done.
"I always emphasize to students that the most important thing is we can proceed well, about how the results is just a bonus," he said.
Erfan added that the work of his students is considered as one form of appropriate innovation by the jury. These factors are ultimately a plus in the assessment session.
"It is also the one who finally brought UMM students out as champions," he concluded.
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