SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
On March 25, 2024, agricultural microbiology students from the 2022 class participated in a series of industrial visits to PT Biotek Cipta Kreasi, located in Donoharjo, Sleman. PT Biotek Cipta Kreasi is a startup engaged in research and development of biotechnology to produce products that can enhance productivity in agriculture, fisheries, environmental, and food sectors. One of the products they produce is biofertilizers. This industrial visit was part of the agro-industrial microbiology practicum event in 2024. Mrs. Desi Utami, SP, M.Sc, Ph.D., the coordinator lecturer of the agro-industrial microbiology practicum, accompanied the industrial visit. The practicum assistant team also assisted the students during the visit. The purpose of the industrial visit was to provide an overview of biofertilizer industry development to the students. Additionally, this activity also motivated students to venture into entrepreneurship with the microbiological knowledge they have acquired.
During the industrial visit to PT Biotek Cipta Kreasi, students gained a lot of new knowledge and hands-on experience in observing the development of biofertilizer industry. In this activity, students were given new insights into the introduction to startup business (how to get the agricultural biotechnology business prospecting) presented by the COO of PT Biotek Cipta Kreasi. Moreover, students were also invited to see the Research and Development laboratory owned by the company to develop biofertilizer products. Furthermore, students were given the opportunity to observe mycorrhizae under a microscope and practice coating corn seeds with mycorrhizal fertilizer produced by the company, as well as observing the compost fertilizer manufacturing process. The activity ended with practicing making liquid biofertilizers aerobically and anaerobically using small-scale fermenters. Hanifa Afifia Sholihatunnisa, the coordinator of the agro-industrial microbiology practicum 2024, stated that this industrial visit event provided a good opportunity for students to learn about biofertilizer production on an industrial scale as an implementation of the agro-industrial microbiology practicum conducted. Participants of the practicum were satisfied and delighted with the industrial visit activity to PT Biotek Cipta Kreasi.
This synergy is a strong evidence to achieve the goal of SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.