Support Bio Intensive Pest Management Field School (SLPHT), Plant Protection Department – IPB University Held Agricultural Consulting Services in Indramayu

For two days, Saturday (20/2) and Sunday (21/2) a number of IPB Plant Protection lecturers and students directly served plant health consultations for farmers in Blok Darim, Kendaya Village, Losarang District, and Puntang Village, Terisi District. , Indramayu Regency. This activity is one of a series of events in the context of the Launching of the Field Laboratory and the Commemoration of Mutual Cooperation Day on Sunday, 21/2/2021. The event organized by the Unified Darim Forum (Forrimber) supported by the People's Coalition for Food Sovereignty (KRKP), the Archipelago Farmers Movement (GPN), and the IPB Plant Protection Department became one of the summits of the Bio Integrated Pest Management Field School (SLPHT) agenda. Intensive which has been started since December 2021, as an effort to increase family resilience and food security.

Suradi, Chairman of the event committee, stated that this event was intended as an effort to strengthen the cohesiveness of farmers to overcome problems both in the environment and on agricultural land. In this event the farmers participating in the FFS delivered their provisional results of their lessons. "We are very happy to join this FFS because we have learned a lot. So far, I have been planting rice but I have only learned a lot about things," said Yanto, a participant in the SL. Bonjok Istiaji, MSi, Head of the Plant Clinic of IPB, who attended this event, stated that field school is very important to increase farmers' understanding not only about pests but also cultivation as a whole. "We are happy that the farmers here are conducting field schools. This means that farmers have the enthusiasm to learn from a true teacher, namely nature, so that their farming can be successful" said Bonjok.

On that occasion, Bonjok also emphasized that this farmer initiative needs to be developed and supported. Therefore, the IPB Plant Clinic provides itself to be a learning partner for farmers. Meanwhile, Dr. Suryo Wiyono, lecturer in Plant Protection and Chairman of GPN, said that this event was very good, especially to maintain and transmit the spirit of mutual cooperation. This zeal is also needed in agriculture. "Farmers need to maintain the spirit of togetherness. There are many problems in the land that can be resolved by mutual cooperation. Overcoming rat pests, damaged channels are examples where this spirit of togetherness is needed" said Suryo. The spirit of mutual cooperation is the strength of the Indonesian farmers. "This needs to be confirmed as a condition so that we can be sovereign," concluded Suryo. For Yanto, this mutual cooperation needs to be maintained and strengthened, especially in the world of agriculture. "With this spirit, we will continue to learn and be able to answer challenges in the future," he concluded.