A student from the Agricultural Microbiology Study Program at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) class of 2021, Muhammad Prakosa Damarsejati, participated in the Community Empowerment Service Learning Program (KKN-PPM) for the second period of 2024 in Palingkau Asri Village, Kapuas Murung District, Kapuas Regency, Central Kalimantan. This KKN activity is a mandatory program included in the intramural activities that implement the tri dharma of higher education: education, research, and community service. It provides students with the experience of learning and working in community development activities as a medium for applying and developing science and technology outside the campus, according to the needs of the region, within a predetermined work mechanism. read more

The KKN-PPM program conducted by UGM (Gadjah Mada University) provides an opportunity for agricultural microbiology student, Zikra Fathin Nabila, to broaden her knowledge of national values and diversity. This KKN program was conducted from July to August. For exactly 50 days, Zikra carried out her KKN program in Pelaga Village, a village that is very green, cool, and full of unique Indonesian potential to be proud of. Zikra learned a lot from the community there about social values, nationalism, and diversity. Actively participating in community activities in the village made Zikra proud to be an Indonesian citizen. This KKN activity also became a place for Zikra to learn a lot about practical knowledge directly in the community environment. read more

The Community Service-Learning and Community Empowerment Program (KKN-PPM) is a mandatory course for all UGM students. Through this course, students are encouraged to enhance their empathy, multidisciplinary collaboration, and direct contributions to society. The KKN-PPM UGM is conducted across 35 provinces in Indonesia over four time periods. One of the Agricultural Microbiology students from the 2021 cohort, Hafsah Dwi Nur Haliza, commonly known as Lisa, joined unit AC-002 for the second period of 2024 on Tuangku Island. The island is located in Pulau Banyak Barat Sub-district, Aceh Singkil Regency, Aceh Province. Following the recommendation from the Aceh Provincial Bappeda, UGM students from unit AC-002 were directed to carry out their KKN on Tuangku Island, which is part of an archipelago directly bordering the Indian Ocean. read more

In August 2024, Muhammad Misbahul Anam, a student of the Agricultural Microbiology class of 2021, completed his Community Service-Learning and Community Empowerment Program (KKN-PPM) for the second period of the 2023/2024 academic year in Sugian Village, Sambelia Sub-district, East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. The KKN took place from July to August. This KKN activity is one of the compulsory courses that students must participate in. The KKN serves as a platform to apply what has been learned in lectures directly to the community. For Misbah, as the microbiology student is often called, KKN encourages students to connect directly with the community, pushing them, who may have previously been confined to laptops, books, and classroom activities, to immerse themselves in the community, interact directly with residents, solve existing problems, and engage in the surrounding social life. In some scenarios, students may even become involved in those problems, requiring them to solve the issues they face while considering local culture so that the solutions provided by the students can be accepted by the community. The KKN lasted for 50 days. Although it sounds short, Misbah feels that the time was sufficient to provide the experience of living and working directly within the community. read more

Aloisius Andhika Mahesa Kanigara, a student of the Agricultural Microbiology Study Program from the 2021 cohort, has just completed his Community Service Program (KKN) in Linau Village, Maje Sub-district, Kaur Regency, Bengkulu Province. The KKN program took place from July 1 to August 19, 2024. Andhika and his team applied the knowledge they learned on campus through work programs designed to empower the local community. One of the programs carried out was the production of organic fertilizer using EM4, which is expected to help the people of Linau, most of whom work as fishermen, in improving soil quality and their agricultural yields. read more

One of the Agricultural Microbiology students from the 2021 cohort, Erina Tika Febiyanti, who is commonly known as Erina, has just completed her Community Service-Learning and Community Empowerment Program (KKN-PPM) for the second period of 2024 in Dusun Badat Lama, Suruh Tembawang Village, Entikong Sub-district, Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan. This KKN activity is a mandatory course that provides students with the opportunity to directly apply their field of study to help solve problems that arise in the community. According to Erina, the KKN program encourages students to broaden their perspectives, engage dynamically with the community to observe existing challenges, and solve those challenges by empowering local residents. Erina believes that the 50-day period for the community service program is not enough to fully resolve all the existing issues, but it is sufficient to initiate positive change, both for herself as a student and for the community to become more empowered in improving their well-being. read more

On Sunday, August 25, 2024, a team of lecturers and students from the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, UGM carried out community service activities with a farmer group in Kalibawang District, Kulon Progo Regency, DIY. The socialization and training on small-scale cocoa bean fermentation were attended by 47 participants from cocoa farmer groups, women’s organizations (PKK), representatives of youth groups, and summer course students from Ibaraki University, Faculty of Agriculture. The Agricultural Microbiology lecturer who served as the resource person for the cocoa fermentation training was Nur Akbar Arofatullah, SP., M.Biotech., Ph.D., who taught the participants about small-scale cocoa bean fermentation. read more

On Monday, August 5, 2024, the Faculty of Agriculture’s Microbiology Department lecturers from Universitas Gadjah Mada, along with several agricultural microbiology students, conducted a training on the production of fermented livestock feed “Silage” in Umbulharjo village, Cangkringan District, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, as an effort to improve livestock efficiency and health. The Silage production training was held at one of the villagers’ houses and was attended by approximately 30 participants, including the local neighborhood head and residents who own livestock. read more

Saturday, July 20, 2024, the Faculty of Agriculture lecturers and students from Universitas Gadjah Mada carried out community service in Koripan Village, Matesih, Karanganyar, Central Java. A training on the production and utilization of biochar and silage was held at the Koripan Hamlet meeting hall, attended by approximately 40 participants, including the head of Matesih sub-district, Sugiharjo, SIP., MM., the head of the agricultural extension center of Matesih sub-district, the head of Koripan Hamlet RT, and resource persons for silage and biochar production training. read more

The Agricultural Microbiology Department graduated nine students consisting of four students from the 2017 cohort, three students from the 2019 cohort, and two students from the 2020 cohort. The Agricultural Microbiology Study Program graduation ceremony was held in the Microbial Ecology Laboratory Room, Agrotropica Learning Center (AGLC) 4th Floor on Monday, July 22, 2024, attended by the Head of the Study Program, the Head of the Department, and the Thesis Supervisors. The graduation ceremony began with a speech by Prof. Ir. Irfan Dwidya Prijambada, M.Eng., Ph.D. read more