Reviving the Potential of

A total of 10 students from the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Udayana University consisting of I Kadek Darmawan, Anak Agung Satya Purwanananda, Ni Luh Gede Enjelina Ayu Maheswari, Yunita Kusumaning Ratri, I Putu Adi Dharmadiaksa Putra, Sultan Volda Martua Haloho, Stevanus Theodore Tegar Dwisatya Wibawa, Theo Federik Simanjuntak, I Made Andika Yasa Pramana, Ni Made Vina Trisnawati, under the guidance of Mr. Gede Arda, S.TP., M.Sc. Ph.D, succeeded in preparing the 2023 Independent MBKM Bina Desa proposal which took place in Tampaksiring Village, Tampaksiring District, Gianyar Regency with the title Increasing Vanilla Farming Capacity in Tampaksiring Village, Tampaksiring District, Gianyar Regency to Become One of the Bali Organic Vanilla Farmer Clusters. The main program of this village development activity is to revive the existence of vanilla plantation products which were once cultivated in this village and were once referred to as black gold. This village development program takes a systems approach model in carrying out its program.

 

The MBKM Bina Desa activities carried out are targeted to be completed in December 2023. This program tries to establish two parties to create a more sustainable collaboration, namely vanilla farmers and PT. Jivatman Bali acts as a processor of vanilla products and also an exporter. This collaboration is said to be the formation of the Tampaksiring vanilla cluster which will directly become part of the All Bali Vanilla Farmers Association (PPVSB). With this approach, the farmer's position will be stronger because it includes a process of building farmer capacity through training and mentoring as well as networking with all vanilla farmers in Bali. Of course, the formation of commitment among farmers to join the Balinese vanilla system developed by PT. Jivatman Bali is an important point in starting this program. The initial data obtained can be used as a starting point to start planting program ideas. Follow-up programs initiated can be aimed at expanding existing ideas (horizontal) or strengthening ideas that have been agreed upon (vertical) so that everyone who has been successfully gathered will become the bearer and disseminator of ideas in the future.

 

Mr. Gede Arda, S.TP., M.Sc. Ph.D as the supervisor reported that students gained a lot of experience from the activities that had been carried out, starting from vanilla plants being cultivated intensively even though they were in a small area.

 

"There they observed the condition of the succulent leaves of the vanilla plant which was growing fertilely and also cut the eve roots that grew in each node of the stem with scissors. The most valuable thing was that at that time they had the opportunity to learn how to cross-breed vanilla flowers that had already bloomed and prepare new vanilla seeds selected from healthy shoots. "From this experience, they know that coconut fiber soaked in shallot skin can stimulate the growth of the roots of vanilla seedlings. Apart from that, in this activity students are also expected to learn directly about social engineering," he said.