UM Surabaya Students Invite Farming in the City Through Kampoeng Hydroponics

A group of students who are members of the Accounting Study Program Student Association, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Muhammadiyah Surabaya (UM Surabaya) invites people to farm in the middle of the city. Through the food security program during the pandemic, they initiated the emergence of a hydroponic village, especially in the Kendangsari sub-district, Surabaya.

The Hydroponic Kampoeng Program has passed funding for the Village Empowerment Development Program (P3D) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology. Previously, they had also received funding through the Holistic Village Development and Empowerment Program (PHP2D) in 2020.

Zainal Rusdi, as the head of the group said that the hydroponic program had been running for more than a year in the Kendangsari area. Even some places already have hydroponics and have enjoyed the results of hydroponic plants several times.

"We have built several hydroponic units with the residents, and in one location we have built a green house with quite a large capacity," said Zainal during hydroponic planting, Friday (October 15, 2021)

According to Zainal, the community was very enthusiastic about being involved so that Zainal and his group felt helped and light in carrying out the hydroponic village program.

"During the process of building the green house, the residents were very enthusiastic about being involved so we didn't have to hire builders. And, for the maintenance of hydroponic plants, PKK women were also involved, they formed a structure to run the program," said Zainal.

The Head of the Student, Alumni and Innovation Administration Bureau (BAKAI), Junaidi Fery Efendi, expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Education and Culture and Research and Technology for trusting UM Surabaya students to carry out this program twice.

"Every year our students are always entrusted with doing community service. This is an important opportunity for students to contribute to society. Because the task of students is not only to study in academics but also to study with the community," he said.