Indonesia
On Saturday (27/06), Universitas Islam Malang held an extension and mentoring program centred on food security. One of its flagship innovations is known as budikdamber, a portmanteau of budidaya ikan dalam ember (fish cultivation in a bucket). The program, attended by university leadership and members of surrounding community, was held under the title “Fish Cultivation in a Bucket and Compost Making by the UNISMA Food Security Volunteer Team,” in Syaikhona Cholil Seminar Room, Utsman bin Affan Building, 2nd Floor.
Two staff members from Postgraduate Program were also in attendance.
Read also: Master’s Program in Law Holds Final Thesis Defense
In his remarks, Vice Rector II for General Affairs and Finance, Noor Shodiq Askandar, SE., MM., noted that the pandemic has led to a significant decline in public income, making adaptation the key to resilience. “We must not sit idly and surrender. We must therefore establish a new formation budikdamber, which holds real potential for development,” he said.
In addition to the budikdamber innovation, compost production was also introduced as a programme to be implemented alongside it.
UNISMA Rector Prof. Dr. H. Masykuri Bakri, M.Si., was also present at the event. The senior professor underscored that creativity and innovation are the defining pillars of survival in challenging times.
In terms of implementation, mentoring will initially commence at the neighbourhood (RW) level, facilitated by UNISMA academics. The produce from the budikdamber program can be sold, generating tangible economic benefits for participating communities.
Read also: UNISMA Postgraduate Program Holds New Normal Life Socialisation
The Rector also expressed his hope that the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) and Faculty of Medicine could collaborate to develop a vaccine against the virus that has now gripped the entire world.
The training was facilitated by three lecturers from the Faculty of Animal Husbandry: Dr. Ir. Sunawan, MP.; Ir. Abdul Basit, MP.; and Ir. Indiyah Murwani, MP. Following the closing of the training session, participants were taken on a field trip to the Budikdamber Green House. (AL/NAD/PPS)
