ULM Plants Thousands of Robusta Coffee Trees for Food Security and a Green Campus
Banjarbaru – Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) is capitalizing on its 67th anniversary by launching a productive reforestation program by planting thousands of robusta coffee seedlings on the Banjarbaru campus. This initiative demonstrates ULM’s commitment to supporting national food security while simultaneously creating an alternative source of income for the university.
The inaugural planting ceremony took place symbolically in the courtyard of the ULM Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK) on Sunday (September 21, 2025). This program not only aims to green the environment but also provides economic and educational benefits. “We want to green the empty spaces on campus with productive plants. Coffee was chosen because it is suitable for the geographical conditions of South Kalimantan, is beneficial to the environment, and has economic potential. With a system where one student plants and cares for one tree, this program also serves as an educational resource for them,” said ULM Rector, Prof. Dr. H. Ahmad Alim Bachri, S.E., M.Si.
The Rector emphasized that this policy aligns with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s directive regarding regional food self-sufficiency. Furthermore, this program also supports the Banjarbaru City Government’s policy of developing a healthy and green city concept.
The Rector projects that by planting up to 10,000 coffee trees, the second-year harvest is expected to reach 25,000 kilograms of coffee beans per year. “With an average price of Rp 80,000 per kilogram, the potential revenue could reach Rp 2 billion per year. However, beyond that, the main goal is to educate students to love and develop agriculture,” he explained.
Robusta coffee was chosen because it is suited to the soil conditions and altitude of Banjarbaru, which is over 600 meters above sea level (masl), making it highly supportive for coffee plant growth.
Meanwhile, the Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK) of the Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM), Dr. Untung Bijaksana, stated that all faculties are being encouraged to utilize available vacant land. “This program not only beautifies and greens the campus environment, but can also become a productive business that supports the university’s finances. The harvest can even be used to support the cafes on campus,” he explained.
He added that this step is also a strategy to optimize non-academic revenue so that the university does not need to increase the Single Tuition Fee (UKT). “We hope that UKT will remain stable, or perhaps even be reduced, in the future, because the university has other sources of income from productive businesses like coffee,” he concluded.
In addition to coffee planting, the highlight of ULM’s 67th Anniversary celebrations also included various activities such as a fun walk, fun run, bazaar, gymnastics competition, and free health checks, involving both the academic community and the surrounding community.
