Obstacles to the potential for cultivation and funding problems for crab cultivation in Pantai Bahagia Village, Muara Gembong, Bekasi encouraged lecturers and students of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) who were members of the community service team to initiate the program “Development of Crab Cultivation in a Feed-Friendly Flat Model as a Solution to Empower Fishermen in Pantai Bahagia Village, Muara Gembong, Bekasi, West Java”.

The activity, chaired by Dr. Retno Lestari, was held on Saturday (11/13/2021) with funding support from the Directorate of Community Service and Empowerment, University of Indonesia (DPPM UI), and in collaboration with partners Pandu Agritek Bahagia and the Tambak Rebon Jaya Farmers Group in Pantai Bahagia Village.

“This activity focuses on efforts to optimize crab cultivation methods in Pantai Bahagia Village to be more effective and efficient through innovation. Tube-Hybrid “So it is hoped that the productivity and welfare of the fishing community can increase,” said Dr. Retno to the FMIPA UI public relations team.

Tube-Hybrid This is a cultivation method that utilizes used gallon jugs, arranged in such a way that the crabs are isolated from each other in each gallon jug. This is done to eliminate the effects of cannibalism among crabs. Another advantage of this method is that it can be used to store the crabs in a container. Tube-Hybrid This is to make feeding the crabs more effective.

To increase productivity, crabs are fed additionally with small fish. Small fish are fish that are often caught in fishing nets and then discarded by fishermen.

The use of gallon waste as the main material for the flat model and runcah fish as additional feed is claimed to be an affordable and environmentally friendly cultivation method solution.

The community service team provided a hands-on demonstration of the equipment and socialization to the fishing community in Pantai Bahagia Village. Daus, the neighborhood association head, who was also present, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the FMIPA UI community service team. He believed the solutions they provided were very helpful to the community.

“The residents here feel greatly helped by the presence of the UI students, especially since they brought us this tool and introduced us to it. Until now, we’ve been using bamboo baskets (besek), but they’ve been very ineffective. Therefore, this tool provides a new, more effective and affordable alternative for crab cultivation,” said Daus.

He also said that this innovation could bring new hope to improve the welfare of the people in Pantai Bahagia Village.