Vegetables are rich in fiber, water, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and iron, making them essential for the body. Unfortunately, vegetable consumption among Indonesians remains very low, especially in urban areas. This is due to several factors, one of which is the prevalence of convenient and affordable ready-to-eat foods.
Seeing this fact, the community service team from the Biology and Chemistry Student Association of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) was motivated to implement a farming education program for children through the Kukayur (I Like Vegetables) Program using the hydroponic method, on October 29, 2022, at the Daarul Ma’wa Orphanage, Depok, West Java.
The team involved 22 children at the orphanage to learn more about vegetables, educate them about the content and benefits of vegetables for the body, and introduce them to hydroponic farming methods.
The activity, chaired by Firliani Nabila and led by Afiatry Putrika, M.Si, a lecturer from the Department of Biology, FMIPA UI, was carried out in the form of a presentation of material and a video screening on how to plant vegetables using a hydroponic system, followed by direct practice in planting using a hydroponic system. post to post.
“We began our first activity by presenting the material to the children. Before the presentation, we provided pre-test “To measure children’s general knowledge about vegetables and hydroponics,” said Firliani.
The presentation included an introduction to the types of vegetables that can be grown hydroponically, their benefits for the body, and a definition of hydroponics. The presentation also explained the advantages of hydroponics, such as more efficient land use and reduced costs. The team also educated the health benefits of consuming vegetables.
The presentation of material by students from the Department of Biology and Chemistry, FMIPA UI to the children of the Daarul Ma’wa Orphanage, Depok ended with games interactive to test children’s knowledge after the material is presented. The material is presented and games This attractive prize received an enthusiastic response from the children.
The educational activities continued with direct practice of how to grow crops using the hydroponic method. post to postThis activity was carried out with the hope that children would get an idea and experience firsthand, as well as gain knowledge in farming using the hydroponic method..
Participant post to post divided into 4 groups with each group consisting of 9-10 people. Activities post to post divided into 3 posts, namely post 1 which explains the educational practice of sowing seeds into rockwool, post 2 which practices making AB Mix fertilizer and post 3 which practices inserting rockwool containing sprouts into netpots, and ends with placing the netpots into a tank filled with nutrients. Post to post lasted for 1 hour and all the children were seen active in the activity post to post.
lasted for 1 hour and all the children were seen active in the activity booklet for each child. Furthermore, UI FMIPA students also invited participants to conduct a small study to observe the vegetables they had planted for the next month. Participants were asked to measure the plant height, number of leaves, and leaf color observed during the maintenance process. Afterward, they were also asked to write down their feelings while caring for the plants. booklet yang dibagikan.
Afiatry Putrika, as the supervising lecturer, said that “in higher education, our activities are not just about studying, but also three things: teaching, research, and community service. Through community service, we share the knowledge we have learned in college. Therefore, through this activity, we hope that students will experience the sensation of eating vegetables grown by themselves through hydroponic cultivation, and we hope that students will be able to complete their research.” mini project based on observations of planting carried out”.
In addition, the Head of the UI Biology Department Student Association, Edwin Arga, also said, “Through the kukayur activity, it is hoped that students can understand how plants grow even without using soil media, and it is also hoped that students can produce their own vegetables with healthy quality and free from harmful substances so that it can motivate students to like vegetables more.”
Abdullah Hafidz, Chairman of the Daarul Ma’wa Orphanage Foundation, responded positively, stating that the “kukayur” activity provided rare knowledge. He hopes this activity will provide the children with valuable knowledge about hydroponic planting, both now and in the future.
