Efforts to Reduce the Use of Chemical Fertilizers with Liquid Fertilizer Depots by the Department of Biology, FMIPA UI

Indonesia is known as an agricultural country because most of its people work in the agricultural sector. Indonesia's natural resource potential is very abundant, one of which is in Sembalun Village, which is an area with extraordinary land fertility and most of its residents work as farmers. The village located at the foot of Mount Rinjani has long been known as a center for garlic production. The fertility of the land and its geographical location allow Sembalun farmers to plant various horticulture such as coffee, beans, chilies, strawberries, potatoes and others which are also starting to be of interest to farmers to develop.

Fertilizer is an important component for farmers in land management to obtain good harvest productivity. In 2019. The FMIPA UI Community Service Team has introduced the manufacture of organic liquid fertilizer to farmers in Sembalun Village.

However, until now some farmers actually still use chemical fertilizers in cultivating their agricultural land because the availability of these fertilizers is quite abundant so that it is easy to obtain. In fact, the continuous use of chemical fertilizers can be dangerous for agricultural land, because it can damage the soil and disrupt the balance of nutrients in it.

Another negative impact of chemical fertilizers is that they can kill microorganisms that play an important role in plant growth, and can inhibit the decomposition of organic compounds that plants need.

Understanding these facts, the Community Service (Pengmas) team of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) chaired by Dr. Retno Lestari was present in person in Sembalun Village, Sembalun District, East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, on August 5-9, 2022.

There, Dr. Retno and the team tried to provide a solution in the ease of access for farmers to obtain organic fertilizer through the Liquid Fertilizer Depot Program. This program was organized by the team in collaboration with the Pandu Cendekia Foundation, and supported by the Directorate of Community Service and Empowerment (DPPM) UI.

Through this program, the team consisting of a lecturer from the Department of Biology, Dr. Ratna Yuniati and three FMIPA UI students consisting of Windya Fajira, Bismi Yasinta Maharani, and Muhammad Aqmal Danish invited the community to build a liquid fertilizer depot that can be managed by residents, making it easier for residents to obtain supplies of organic liquid fertilizer.

The existence of a liquid fertilizer depot to fulfill the supply of liquid organic fertilizer that is composed according to the needs of the plants of farmers in Sembalun Village, is expected to be able to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, so that land fertility in Sembalun Village can also be maintained.

Murtadi as part of the Sembalun farmer community welcomed the program, "Liquid fertilizer depots are one of the solutions needed by farmers in Sembalun Village. I think these depots need to be more widespread so that farmers can feel the benefits of organic fertilizer," said Murtadi.

News source : https://sci.ui.ac.id/