UNAIR NEWS – The waste problem has become a serious and costly issue, particularly in large cities such as Surabaya. Food waste ending up in landfills causes various issues, including health issues.
As a result, students from Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) who are part of the Garuda Sakti’s holistic village empowerment and development program (PHP2D) empower the people of Karangpoh, Tandes Surabaya by cultivating the black soldier fly (BSF) to help unravel the organic trash.
According to Muhammad Fuad Izzatulfikri, as the leader, the cultivation will be processed into poultry, fish, and other livestock feed. Another program, aquaponics, is also conducted to remediate wastewater from brackish water ponds and use the compound content to grow water plants.
“The ideas presented were varied. The aquaponics idea for the cultivation of several plants were discussed with related parties as an effort for food security programs, with the cultivation of certain plants,” one of the students said on Sunday, September 6, 2020).
Fuad explained that the community of Karangpoh was chosen because the majority of its members work in the MSME sector (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises). MSMEs’ income and productivity have decreased as a result of the pandemic.
Furthermore, Fuad described two other programs run by UNAIR: education and health. Observing the situation, they discovered that education was one of the critical programs that required additional support from stakeholders and facilitators. Education in primary and junior high school students, in particular. Education is one of the areas greatly affected by the pandemic.
“Our next plan is to work with the local government on BSF, which will effectively act as a decomposer for wasted food. This program is expected to be implemented in several locations. We hope to participate in the program, which will hopefully increase income for the local community,” said the Deputy of the 2019 Indonesian Literature and Language Student Association.
Fuad hopes that this program will benefit the community and serve as a springboard for the team to take on a more significant role in community service.
“Because we don’t want to be bound by its symbolism and formalism. But we want to offer real impact for the community, particularly with the funds that have been given to us,” he concluded. (*)
Author: Asthesia Dhea Cantika
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
