ULM Community Service Team Assists Caraka Jaya Farmers to Increase Agricultural Production
BANJARBARU – The Community Service (PKM) program team from Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) provided mentoring to the Berkat Mufakat Farmers Group in Caraka Jaya Village, North Landasan Ulin, Banjarbaru. The program, funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, aims to empower farmers to increase production and expand the market for their agricultural products.
The mentoring began with education on the use of organic fertilizers, replacing the currently dominant chemical fertilizers. The Head of the ULM Community Service Team, Dr. Nilna Amal, explained that the continued use of chemical fertilizers leads to plant resistance and makes pests difficult to control.
“Therefore, we are introducing organic fertilizers as a more environmentally friendly solution,” she said.
This program is a collaboration between the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Agriculture of ULM and PT Natural Nusantara (NASA) Yogyakarta, a national-scale organic fertilizer producer. PT NASA also provided an expert, Eko Zulkifli, who assisted the farmers directly through demonstration plots and training on organic fertilizer application.
In addition to fertilizer, ULM also held a Planting Calendar Training led by Mira SP, MP from the ULM Faculty of Agriculture. The training, held on August 15, 2025, provided farmers with the skills to analyze seasonal crop types to maintain stable selling prices.
“The members of the farmer group appeared enthusiastic and determined to apply the knowledge they had gained,” said Mira.
To address the water shortage during the dry season, the ULM Community Service Team provided a solution by drilling a well on one of the farmer group members’ land and providing a water pump. These efforts are expected to maintain the continuity of agricultural production throughout the year.
The program then continued with demonstration plots for planting onions and chilies using organic fertilizer and biopesticides produced by PT NASA. Dr. Nilna Amal emphasized, “We hope that the harvest will not only increase farmers’ incomes but also encourage environmentally friendly agriculture as part of achieving the SDGs.”
The Head of the Berkat Mufakat Farmer Group, I Made Suryana, expressed his appreciation to ULM. “We are grateful for the assistance and guidance provided. We hope this collaboration can continue even after the official program has concluded,” he said.
Through this mentoring, Lambung Mangkurat University emphasizes its role in supporting the sustainability of local agriculture by integrating science, technology, and real community service.
