Yogyakarta – Pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) is institutions of religious education and teaching, generally kyai (teacher) teach Islamic religious knowledge to the students based on the Al-Quran. The Islamic academic curriculum that is studied in depth makes the santri (students) master the knowledge of religion which is a provision for independent living, personality, and noble character. However, Islamic boarding schools often face problems, especially with the students in developing their skills. Islamic boarding schools as one of the institutions that are underestimated from the point of view of the quality of human resource skills so that it is difficult for boarding school graduates to develop a business after returning to their place of origin because they are not equipped with skills in a particular field.

This is the reason why five students of the Agrotechnology Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta joined the Community Service Student Creativity Program, consisting of Ahmad Nur Rohim (2018), Fella Sufah Baedowi (2018), Fitria Indah Susanti (2018), Ismi Aflahal Mari'ah (2019), Dwi Cahyo Budi Bhakti Bumi (2019). The PKM-M team of the Agrotechnology Study Program focuses on providing guidance, direction, and support in terms of knowledge of hydroponic plant cultivation technology to the students of Modern Orphaned Dhuafa Madania Islamic Boarding School Yogyakarta through the Knitting Motor Skills program through Vocational-Based Hydroponic Education in the field of plant cultivation or can be called the METROPONIC Program.

"Not all students in the future will become preachers in the midst of social life. Therefore, we are moved to organize a form of channelling the knowledge we get from the campus to the students in an effort to honour the orphans and build their skills in agriculture, especially hydroponics. This is one of the practices of the Al-Quran (Q.S Ad-Dhuha: 9-11)," said Ahmad.

In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, a whole series of student creativity program events are carried out by virtual teleconference using online-based communication media. This is the challenge for all teams in implementing this year's PKM. "We have compiled an activity curriculum so that all the students’ motor skill points can develop as a form of successful program implementation," continued Ahmad. This community service process has a curriculum that has been compiled that includes the cultivation of a love on agriculture, hydroponic systems, nurseries, the basics of water science, plant nutrition and nutritional needs, plant-disturbing organisms and control, organic pesticides making, hydroponic creativity made from used goods, and virtual meetings discussion which contains of the clinic of agriculture crops cultivating. The program implementation is also in collaboration with the Hydroponic Griya Community as a hydroponic community in Yogyakarta to encourage the development of the students’ creative potential to be professionals in agriculture.

Currently, the students of the Modern Orphaned Dhuafa Madania Islamic Boarding School Yogyakarta with teenagers of 15-19 years is the program target communicate virtually through online media which gives directions in the form of videos and / or modules that are used as solutions and the students carry out independent implementation. "The output of this activity is to make the students to be pioneers of modern farmers in the environment and community life and to be entrepreneurs and motivators in the field of modern agriculture as a driving force for the millennial generation in the future," said Ahmad.

Ahmad and his team believe that the Student Creativity Program (PKM) will continue to be sustainable, bring the students to survive, and make the students live independently of others. In that case, Pondok Pesantren graduates will not only master the Islamic sphere, but they will also have good vocational motor skills to be a modern farmer. The benefits will be felt by the students will have the benefit of hydroponic cultivation in the future.