Sleman- Lecturers of UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta, Endah Wahyurini SP, MSi from the Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture and Dr. Humam Santosa Utama S.Sos, M.AB from the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, were still enthusiastic about carrying out Community Service activities for the Optimistic Integrated Farmers Group in Bantul during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The activity, which was focused on Sidomulyo Village, Bambanglipuro District, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta, had been held for the past six months, April-September 2020.

This community service funded by the  UPN 'Veteran' Yogyakarta budget 2020 aims to empower the Optimistic Integrated Farmers Group in Bantul Yogyakarta in various fields that they have been working on and become their main livelihood.

"The Optimist Integrated Farmers Group, Bantul itself consisted of 10 KWT (women's farmer groups). This service activity was carried out as a supporter and motivator for the surrounding farmers," said Lecturer of UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta, Dr. Humam Santosa Utama S.Sos, M.AB Friday, October 2, 2020.

Dr. Humam Santosa Utama said that all this time the farmers had actually been farming in the fields. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he wanted to expand their business again by utilizing the environment in their home yard to grow vegetables.

Dr. Humam Santosa Utama explained that during the community service activities, his party had provided training and assistance in making organic fertilizers, training and mentoring in organic vegetable cultivation, training and assistance in controlling pests and diseases in vegetable crops and as well as marketing assistance.

Agricultural cultivation was carried out by targeting on the training for vegetable crops and herbs and spices, training on pests and making compost.

"We also provided tools and materials in the form of seeds, compost, polybags, Trichoderma fertilizer and funds for making vegetable demonstration plots in the yard to the farmer group partners," he said.

Dr. Humam Santosa Utama said that during this pandemic, the income of farmers was also affected and decreased. Some of the husbands of the farmers were also affected by layoffs.

Therefore, the cultivation of vegetables carried out was expected to meet their own consumption needs and was sold them to reduce expenses.

"The farmer groups can sell the organic vegetables, which are fast harvesting, twice a week," he said.

In fact, not only selling fresh vegetables from this cultivation, but now the farmer groups who were being assisted are also able to sell plant seeds and polybags that had been successfully developed from the mentoring of the UPN 'Veteran' Yogyakarta lecturer. For example, one tomato seedling and polybag is sold for 15 thousand rupiahs, whereas the capital cost is only around Rp. 1000.

"The plant seeds that are sold actually sell quickly, within 1.5 months of the issued capital, the profit can multiply 15 times," he said.

Not only assisting them, the farmer groups being assisted were also motivated by joining competitions to get good quality and quantity of the assistance results.

The Lecturer of UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta Endah Wahyurini SP, MSi added that she has succeeded in getting the target to be achieved from this service dedication.

The real results of this service program include the production of organic vegetables that are green, healthy and free from pests. Then, the farmer group production process is more efficient.

"They become a supplier of vegetables that are marketed once a week, namely every Wednesday at the regional government complex market Bantul and Sundays at the Gabusan market," said Endah Wahyurini SP, MSi.

Dr. Humam Santosa Utama S.Sos, M.AB added that there is still assistance currently until the end of the year.

https://www.wartajogja.id/2020/10/pandemi-covid-19-dua-dosen-upn-veteran.html